its Truth It s Authority in its selfe is its Authority in respect of us nor hath it any whit more in its selfe then de jure it hath towards and over all them to whom it comes That de facto some do not submit themselves unto it is their sin rebellion This Truth and consequently this Authority is evidenced and made known to us by the publick Testimony which is given unto it by the Holy Ghost speaking in it with divine Light and Power to the minds soules and consciences of men being therein by its selfe proposed unto us We being enlightned by the Holy Ghost which in the Condition wherein we are is necessary for the Apprehension of any spirituall thing or truth in a spirituall manner we receive it and religiously subject our soules unto it as the VVord and VVill of the everliving soveraigne God and judge of all And if this be not a bottome and foundation of faith I here publickly Professe that for ought I know I have no faith at all Sect. 14. Having laid this stable foundation I shall with all possible brevity consider some pretences and Allegations for the confirmation of the Authority of the Scripture invented and made use of by some to divert us from that foundation the closing wherewith will in this matter alone bring peace unto our soules and so this Chapter shall as it were lay in the ballance and compare together the Testimony of the Spirit before mentioned and explained and the other pretences and pleas that shall now be examined Sect. 15. 1. Some say when on other accounts they are concerned so to say that we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome who received it by Tradition and this gives a credibility unto it Of Tradition in generall without this limitation which destroies it of the Church of Rome I shall speak afterwards Credibility either keeps within the bounds of probability as that may be heightned to a manifest uncontrâ—leablenesse whilst yet its principles exceed not that sphere in which sense it belongs not at all to our present discourse or it includes a firme suitable foundation for faith supernaturall and divine Have we in this sense received the Scripture from that Church as it is called is that Church able to give such a credibility to any thing or doth the Scripture stand in need of such a credibility to be given to it from that Church are not the first most false and is not the last blasphemous To receive a thing from a Church as a Church is to receive it upon the Authority of that Church If we receive any thing from the Authority of a Church we do it not because the thing its selfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of Acceptation but because of the Authority alleadged If then we thus receive the Scriptures from the Church of Rome why in particular do we not receive the Apocryphall Books also which she receives How did the Church of Rome reâ—eive the Scriptures shall we say that she is authorized to give out what seemes Good to her as the Word of God not but she hath received them by Tradition so she pleads that she hath received the Apocryphall books also we then recive the Scriptures from Rome Rome by Tradition We make our selves Judges of that Tradition and yet Rome saith this is one thing that she hath by the same Tradition namely that she alone is judge of what she hath by Tradition But the common fate of lyars is befallen that Harlot she hath so long so constantly so desperately lyed in many the most things that she professeth pretending Tradition for them that indeed she deserves not to be believed when she telleth the Truth Besides She pleads that she received the Scriptures from the Beginning when it is granted that the copies of the Hebrew of the old and Greek of the new Testament were only authentick These she pleads now under her keeping to be woefully corrupted and yet is angry that we believe not her Tradition Sect. 16. Some adde that we receive the Scripture to be the Word of God upon the account of the miracles that were wrought at the giving of the Law and of the new Testament which miracles we have received by universall Tradition But first I desire to know whence it comes to passe that seeing our saviour Jesus Christ wrought many other miracles besides those that are written Joh. 20. 30. ch 21. 25. and the Apostles likewise they cannot by all their Traditions help us to so much as an obscure report of any one that is not written I speak not of Legends which yet at their performance were no lesse known then those that are nor were lesse usefull for the end of miracles then they Of Tradition in Generall afterwards But is it not evident that the miracles whereof they speak are preserved in the Scripture and no otherwise And if so can these miracles operate upon the understanding or judgment of any man unlesse they first grant the Scripture to be the Word of God I meane to the begetting of a divine faith of them even that there were ever any such miracles Suppose these miracles alleadged as the Ground of our believing of the word had not been written but like the Sybills leaves had been driven up and downe by the Worst and fiercest wind that blowes in this world the breath of man Those who should keepe them by tradition that is men are by nature so vaine foolish malicious such lyars adders detracters have spirits and minds so unsuited to spirituall things so liable to alteration in themselves and to contradiction one to another are so given to impostures and are so apt to be imposed upon have been so shuffled and driven up and downe the world in every Generation have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are whence they come or whether they are to goe that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for without any Evidence from the nature of the thing it 's selfe Sect. 17. Abstracting then from the Testimony given in the Scriptures to the miracles wrought by the prime Revealers of the mind and will of God in the Word and no tolerable assurance as to the businesse in hand where a foundation for faith is enquired after can be given that ever any such miracles were wrought If numbers of men may be allowed to speake we may have a Traditionall Testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Alcoran under the name of True miracles But the constant Tradition of more than a 1000 yeares carried on by innumerable multitudes of men great wise and sober from one Generation to another doth but set open the gates of hell for the Mahumetans Yet setting aside the Authority of God in his Word and what is resolved thereinto I know not why they may not vye Traditions with the rest of the world The world
preheminence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 3. it received it's beginning of being spoken by the Lord himselfe God spake in these last dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Son Heb. 1. 1. Sect. 24. Thus God who himselfe began the writing of the Word with his own finger Exod. 31. 11 after he had spoken it Exod. 20 appointing or approving the writing of the rest that followed Deut. 31. 12. Josh 23. 6. 1 King 2 3. 2 King 14. 6. 2 King 17. 13. 1 Chron. 21. 15. 2 Chron. 25. 4 4. Ezek. 2. 9 10. Hab. 2. 2. Luk. 16. 29. Joh. 5. 39. Joh. 20. 31. Act. 17. 11 doth lastly command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be written in a Book Re. 1. 11 and so gives out the whole of his Mind and counsell unto us in writing as a mercifull and stedfast reliefe against all that confusion darknesse and uncertainty which the vanity folly and loosnesse of the minds of men drawne out and heightned by the unspeakable alterations that fall out amongst them would otherwise have certainly run into Sect. 25. Thus we have laid down the Originall of the Scriptures from the Scripture it 's selfe and this Originall is the basis and foundation of all it's Authority Thus is it from God entirely from him As to the Doctrine contained in it and the Words wherein that Doctrine is delivered it is wholly his what that speakes He speakes himselfe He speakes in it and by it and so it is vested with all the morall Authority of God over his Creatures CHAP. II. The maine Question proposed to consideration How we may know assuredly the Scripture to be the word of God The Scripture to be received by divine faith The Ground and foundation of that faith enquired after The Answer in the Generall Thesis of this discourse The Authority of God that foundation The way whereby that Authority is evidenced or made knowne What is meant by the Authority of the Scriptures Authority is in respect of others First generall Evidence given to the Thesis laid downe The various wayes of Gods Revealing him selfe and his mind 1 By his works 2. By the light of nature 3. By his word Each of these evince themselves to be from him His word especially Sect. 1. HAving laid in the foregoing Chapter the foundation that we are to build and proceed upon I come now to lay downe the Enquiry whose Resolution must thence be educed That then which we are seeking after is How We and the rest of men in the world who through the mercifull dispensation of God have the Book or Books wherein the Scripture given out from him as above declared is contained or said to be contained who live so many Ages from the last Person who received any part of it immediately from God or who have not received it immediately our selves may come to be assertained as to all ends and purposes wherein we may be concerned therein that the whole and entire written word in that Book or those Books hath the original consequently the Authority that it pleads and avowes namely that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from God in the way and manner laid down and not the Invention of men attending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 26 or to cuningly devised fables Sect. 2. Now seeing it is expected from us and required of us by God himselfe and that on the penalty of his eternall Displeasure if we faile in our duty 2 Thes 1. 8 9 10. that we receive the Scripture not as we doe other Books in relation to their Author with a firme Opinion built on prevailing probable Arguments prevalent against any actuall conclusions to the contrary but with divine and supernaturall faith omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a perswasion not to be cast out of the mind by contrary reasonings or objections it is especially inquired what is the foundatiō formall Reason of our doing so if we so do Whatever that be it returns an answer to this important Question why or on what Account do you believe the Scriptures or Books of the old and new Testament to be the word of God Now the formall Reason of things being but one what ever consideration may be had of other inducements or Arguments to beget in us a Perswasion that the Scripture is the Word of God yet they have no influence into that divine faith wherewith we are bound to believe them They may indeed be of some use to repell the objections that are or may by any be raised against the Truth we believe and so indirectly cherish and further faith its selfe but as to a Concurrence unto the foundation or formall Reason of our believing it is not capable of it Sect. 3. Having then laid downe the Divine Originall of the Scriptures and opened the manner of the Word 's coming forth from God an Answer shall now on that sole foundation be returned to the Enquiry laid down And this I shall do in the ensuing Position The Authority of God the supreame Lord of all the first and only absolute Truth whose Word is Truth speaking in and by the Penmen of the Scriptures evidenced singly in and by the Scripture its selfe is the sole bottome and foundation or formall Reason of our assenting to those Scriptures as his word and of our submitting our hearts and Consciences unto them with that faith and obedience which morally respects him and is due to him alone Sect. 4 God speaking in the Penmen of the Scripture Heb. 1. 1 his Voyce to them was accompanied with its own Evidence which gave Assurance unto them And God speaking by them or their Writings unto us his Word is accompanied with its own Evidence and gives Assurance unto us His Authority and Veracity did and do in the one and the other sufficiently manifest themselves that men may quietly repose their Soules upon them in believing and obedience Thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2. 20. on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles in our believing Sect. 5. That then which to the establishment of the Soules of Believers I shall labour to prove and evince is plainly this namely that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do abundantly and uncontroleably manifest themselves to be the Word of the living God so that merely on the account of their own proposall of themselves unto us in the Name and Majesty of God as such without the contribution of help or Assistance from Tradition Church or any thing else without themselves we are obliged upon the penalty of eternall damnation as are all to whom by any meanes they come or are brought to receive them with that subjection of soule which is due to the Word of God The Authority of God shining in them they afford unto us all the divine Evidence of themselves which God is willing to grant unto us
and Providence in the preservation of every Tittle contained in them Had those individuall writings been preserved men would have been ready to adore thē as the Jewes do their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Sect. 3. Moses indeed delivered his originall copy of the Pentateuch in a publick Assembly unto the Levites that is the sons of Korah to be put into the sides of the Arke and there kept for a perpetuall monument Deut. 31. 25 26. That individuall Book was I doubt not preserved untill the destruction of the Temple There is indeed no mention made of the Book of the Law in particular when the Arke was solemnly carried into the Holy place after the building of Solomons Temple 2 Chron. 5. 4 5. But the Tabernacle of the congregation continued untill then That and all that was in it is said to be brought up v. 5. Now the placing of the Book by the sides of the Arke being so solemne an Ordinance it was no doubt observed Nor is there any pretence to the contrary Some think the Book found by Hilkiah in the daies of Josiah was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses which was placed by the sides of the Ark. It rather seemes to have been some antient Sacred copy used in the service of the Temple and laid up there as there was in the second Temple which was carried in Triumph to Rome For besides that he speaks of his finding it in generall in the house of the Lord upon the occasion of the worke which was then done 2 Chron. 14. 15. which was not in or about the Holy place where he who was high Priest knew full well this book was kept it doth not appeare that it was lawfull for him to take that sacred depositum from its peculiar Archives to send it abroad as he dealt with that Book which he found Nay doubtlesse it was altogether unlawfull for him so to have done it being placed there by a peculiar Ordinance for a peculiar or speciall End After the destruction of the Temple all enquiry after that Book is in vaine The Author of the 2d Book of Maccabees mentions not its hiding in Nebo by Jeremiah with the Arke and Altar or by Josiah as say some of the Talmudists Nor were it of any importance if they had Of the Scripture preserved in the Temple at its last destruction Josphus gives us a full account de bello Juda lib. 7. cap. 24. Sect. 4. For the Scriptures of the new Testament it doth not appeare that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the severall Writers of it were ever gathered into one Volume there being now no one Church to keep them for the rest The Epistles though immediately transcribed for the use of other Churches Col. 4. 16 were doubtlesse kept in the severall Churches whereunto they were directed From those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transcribed copies given out to faithfull men whilst the infallible spirit yet continued his guidance in an extraordinary manner Sect. 5. For the first Transcribers of the Originall copies and those who in succeeding Ages have done the like worke from them whereby they have been propagated and continued down to us in a subserviency to the Providence and Promise of God we say not as is vainly charged by Morinus and Capellus that they were all or any of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible and divinely inspired so that it was impossible for them in any thing to mistake It is known it is granted that failings have been amongst them and that various Lections are from thence risen of which afterwards Religious care and diligence in their work with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do is all we ascribe unto them Not to acknowledge these freely in them without cleare and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary is high uncharitablenesse impiety and ingratitude This care and diligence we say in a subserviency to the Promise and Providence of God hath produced the Effect contended for Nor is any thing further necessary thereunto On this account to argue as some do from the miscarriages and mistakes of men their Oscitancy and negligence in transcribing the old Heathen Authors Homer Aristotle Tully we think it not tollerable in a Christian or any one that hath the least sense of the nature and importance of the Word or the care of God towards his Church Shall we think that men who wrote out Books wherein themselves and others were no more concerned then it is possible for men to be in the writings of the Persons mentioned and others like them had as much Reason to be carefull and diligent in that they did as those who knew and considered that every letter and Tittle that they were transcribing was part of the Word of the Great God wherein the eternall concernment of their own soules and the soules of others did lye Certainly whatever may be looked for from the Religious care and diligence of men lying under a loving and carefull Aspect from the Promise and Providence of God may be justly expected from them who undertook that worke However we are ready to owne all their failings that can be proved To assert in this case without proofe is injurious Sect. 6. The Jewes have a common saying among them that to alter one letter of the Law is no lesse sinne then to set the whole world on fire and shall we thinke that in writing it they took no more care then a man would doe in writing out Aristotle or Plato who for a very little portion of the world would willingly have done his endeavour to get both their workes out of it Considering that the Word to be transcribed was every Title and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it the Word of the great God that that which was written and as writen was proposed as his as from him that if any failings were made innumerable Eyes of men owning their eternall concernement to lye in that Word were open upon it to discover it and that thousands of Copies were extant to try it by and all this knowne unto and confessed by every one that undertooke this worke it is no hard matter to prove their care and diligence to have out gone that of other common scribes of Heathen Authors The Truth is they are prodigious things that are related of the exact diligence and reverentiall care of the antient Jewes in this worke especially when they entrusted a Copy to be a Rule for the triall and standard of other private copies Maimonides in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 8. 3 4 tells us that Ben Asher spent many yeares in the carefull exact writing out of the Bible Let any man consider the 20 things which they affirme to prophane a Booke or Copy and this will farther appeare They are repeated by Rabbi Moses Tract at de libro Legis
Of the Divine Originall AUTHORITY self-evidencing LIGHT and POVVER of the SCRIPTVRES With an Answer to that Enquiry How we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God Also A Vindication of the Purity and Integrity of the HEBREW and GREEK Texts of the Old and New Testament in some Considerations on the PROLEGOMENA Appendix to the late BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA Whereunto are subjoyned some Exercitations about the Nature and Perfection of the Scripture the Right of Interpretation internall Light Revelation c. By IOHN OWEN D. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5. 39. OXFORD Printed by HENRY HALL Printer to the University for THO ROBINSON 1659. To my Reverend and Worthy Friends the PREBENDS of Ch Church Colledge in Oxford with all the STVDENT'S in Divinity in that Society THE reason of my inscribing the ensuing pleas for the Authority purity and perfection of the Scripture against the pretences of some to the contrary in these dayes unto you is because some of you value and study the Scripture as much as any I know and it is the earnest desire of my heart that all of you would so do Now whereas two things offer themselves unto me to discourse with you by the way of Preface namely the commendation of the Scripture and an exhortation to the study of it on the one hand and a discovery of the reproach that is cast upon it with the various wayes and meanes that are used by some for the lessening and depressing of its Authority and excellency on the other the former being to good purpose by one or other almost every day performed I shall insist at present on the latter only which also is more suited to discover my aime and intention in the ensuing discourses Now herein as I shall it may be seeme to exceed that proportion which is due unto a Preface to such short discourses as these following yet I know I shall be more briefe then the nature of so great a matter as that proposed to consideration doth require And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall fall upon the subject that now lyes before me Many there have beene and are who through the craft of Sathan and the prejudice of their owne hearts lying under the power of corrupt and carnall Interest have ingaged themselves to decry and disparage that excellency of the Scripture which is proper and peculiar unto it The severall sorts of them are too many particularly to be considered I shall only passe through them in generall and fix upon such instances by the way as may give evidence to the things insisted on Those who in this business are first to be called to an account whose filth and abominations given out in gross◠others have but parcelled among themselves are they of the Synagogue of Rome These pretend themselves to be the only keepers and preservers of the Word of God in the world the only ground and pillar of truth Let us then a little consider in the first place how it hath discharged this trust for it is but equall that men should be called to an account upon their owne principles and those who supposing themselves to have a trust reposed in them do manifest a trecherous mind would not be one whit better if they had so indeed What then have these men done in the discharge of their pretended trust nay what hath that Synagogue left unattempted yea what hath it left unfinished that may be needfull to convince it of perfidiousnesse that saies the Scripture was committed to it alone and would if it were able deprive all others of the possession of it or their lives what Scripture then was this or when was this deed of trust made unto them The oracles of God they tell us committed to the Jewes under the Old Testament and all the writings of the New and that this was done from the first foundation of the Church by Peter and so on to the finishing of the whole Canon What now have they not done in adding detracting corrupting forging aspersing those Scriptures to falsifie their pretended trust They adde more bookes to them never indited by the Holy Ghost as remote from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so denying the selfe evidencing power of that word which is truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by mixing it with things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an humane rise and spring manifesting themselves to have lost the spirit of discerning promised with the Word to abide with the true Church of God for ever Isa 59. 21. They have taken from its fulnesse and perfection its sufficiency and excellency by their Massora their orall law or verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their unknowne endlesse bottomlesse boundlesse treasure of traditions that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all their abominations The Scripture its selfe as they say committed to them they plead to their eternall shame to be in the Originall Languages corrupted vitiated interpolated so that it is no stable rule to guide us throughout in the knowledge of the will of God The Jewes they say did it whilst they were busie in burning of Christians Therefore in the roome of the Originals they have enthroned a translation that was never committed to them that came into the world they know neither how nor when nor by whom So that one saies of its author Si quis percontetur Gallus fuerit an Sarmata Judaeus an Christianus vir an mulier nihil habituri sint ejus patroni quod expeditè respondeant All this to place themselves in the throne of God and to make the words of a Translation authentick from their stamp upon them and not from their relation unto and agreement with the words spoken by God himselfe And yet farther as if all this were not enough to manifest what Trustees they have been they have cast off all subjection to the authority of God in his word unlesse it be resolved into their own denying that any man in the world can know it to be the word of God unlesse they tell him so it is but inke and paper skin of parchment a dead letter a nose of wax a Lesbian Rule of no authority unto us at all O faithfull Trustees holy mother Church infallible chaire can wickednesse yet make any farther progresse was it ever heard of from the foundation of the world that men should take so much paines as these men have done to prove themselves faithlesse and treacherous in a trust committed to them Is not this the summe and substance of volumes that have even filled the world the Word of God was committed to us alone and no others under our keeping it is corrupted depraved vitiated the copies delivered unto us we have rejected and taken up one of our owne choice nor let any complaine of us it was in our power to do worse This sacred depositum had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby it might be knowne to be the Word of God but it is upon our credit
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and justly We begin a little to late to see whether mens bold Conjectures in correcting the Originall Text of the Scriptures are like to proceed Her 's no colour for a various Lection one Copy it seemes by Stephen read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ground by an evident errour and such mistakes are not to be allowed the name or place of various Readings But yet sayes Camero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a Resolution and Interpretation as is made by Revelation He addes that in that sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the 70 in the businesse of Joseph's Interpretation of Pharaoh's Dreame Gen. 40 which was by Revelation But indeed the word is not used in that Chapter However he falls in with this sense as doe Calvin and Grotius that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be referred to our Interpretation of the Prophets but to the Way and manner of their receiving the Counsell and Will of God Sect. 18. And indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an Interpretation of the Word of prophesy given out by writing as our Translation beares it is an Expression that can scarcely have any tollerable sense affixed unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relates here to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and denotes the first giving out of it's Word not our after consideration of it's sense and meaning And without this sense it stands in no coherence with nor opposition to the following sentence which by it's causall connexion to this manifests that it renders a Reason of what is herein affirmed in the first place and in the latter turning with the adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposition unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Prophesie came not at any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost What Reason is in the first part of this verse why the Scripture is not of our private interpretation or what opposition in the latter to that Assertion Nay on that supposall there is no tollerable correspondency of discourse in the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But take the Word to expresse the coming of the Prophesie to the Prophets themselves and the sense is full and Cleare Sect. 19. This then is the intention of the Apostle the Prophesie which we have written the Scripture was not an issue of mens fancied Enthusiasmes not a product of their own minds and Conceptions not an Interpretation of the Will of God by the understanding of man that is of the Prophets thēselves neither their rational apprehensions Enquiries conceptions of fancy or Imaginations of their hearts had any place in this businesse no selfe Afflation no rational meditatiō managed at liberty by the understandings Wills of men had place herein Sect. 20. Of this saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing judging and determining this in the first place This is a Principle to be owned and acknowledged by every one that will believe any thing else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only to know to perceive to understand but also to judge own and acknowledge This then in our Religion is to be owned acknowledged submitted unto as a Principle without further dispute To discover the Grounds of this submission and Acknowledgment is the businesse of the ensuing discourse Sect. 21. That this is so indeed as before asserted and to give a Reason why this is to be received as a Principle he addes ver s 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That word of Prophesy which we have written is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of private conception for it came not at any time by the will of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the passive Conjugation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes at least to be brought in more than merely it came It was brought into them by the Will of God The Affirmative as to the Will of God is included in the negative as to the will of man Or it came as the voice from heaven to our Saviour on the mount vers 18 where the same word is used So Eze. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essendo fuit verbum it was brought into him as was shewed before Thus God brought the word to them and spake in them in order of nature before he spake by them As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was brought to them it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of the Lord Ge. 3. 8. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jewes call it as spoken by them or written it was properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum Dei the word of God which by his immediate voice he signified to the Prophets Thus some of them in visions first eat a written book and then prophesi'd as was instanced before And this is the first spring of the Scripture the beginning of it's emanation from the Counsell and Will of God By the Power of the Holy Ghost it was brought into the organs or instruments that he was pleased to use for the Revelation and declaration of it unto others Sect. 22. That which remaines for the compleating of this dispensation of the Word of God unto us is added by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Word was thus brought to them it was not left to their understandings Wisdomes Minds Memories to order dispose and give it out but they were borne acted carried out by the Holy Ghost to speake deliver and Write all that and nothing but that to every tittle that was so brought to them They invented not Words themselves suited to the things they had learned but only expressed the Words that they received Though their mind and understanding were used in the choise of Words whence arises all the difference that is in the manner of expression for they did use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of Will or choise yet they were so guided that their words were not their owne but immediately supplyed unto them and so they gave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing of uprightnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of truth it 's selfe Ecles 12. 10. Not only the Doctrine they taught was the Word of truth Truth it's selfe Joh. 17. 17 but the Words whereby they taught it were Words of truth from God himselfe Thus allowing the contribution of passive instruments for the Reception and Representation of words which answers the mind and tongue of the Prophets in the coming of the voice of God to them every Apex of the written word is equally divine and as immediatly from God as the voice wherewith or whereby he spake to or in the Prophets and is therefore accompanyed with the same Authority in it's selfe and unto us Sect. 23. What hath been thus spoken of the Scripture of the old Testament must be also affirmed of the new with this addition of advantage and
another Treatise declare do manifest this Truth Sect. 8. That surely then which shall administer to all and every one of them equally and universally satisfaction as to all these things to quiet and calme their spirits to cut off all necessity of any further Enquiries give them that wherein they must acquiesce and wherewith they will be satiated unlesse they will cast off that Relation and dependance on God which they seek to confirme and settle surely I say this must be from the all seeing all-satisfying Truth and Being and from none else Now this is done by the doctrine of the Scripture with such a glorious uncontroleable Conviction that every one to whom it is revealed the eyes of whose understanding are not blinded by the God of this world must needs cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found that which in vaine I sought elsewhere waxing foolish in my imaginations Sect. 9. It would be too long to insist on the severalls take one instance in the buisinesse of Attonement Reconciliation and Acceptance with God What strange horrible fruits and effects have mens contrivances on this account produced What have they not invented What have they not done What have they not suffered and yet continued in dread and bondage all their daies Now with what a Glorious soule appeasing Light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and Attonement by the bloud of Christ the son of God come in upon such men This first astonisheth then conquereth then ravisheth and satiateth the soule This is that they looked for this they were sick for and knew it not This is the designe of the Apostles discourse in the 3 first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans Let any man read that discourse from v. 18. of chap. the first and onward and he will see with what Glory and Beauty with what full and ample satisfaction this Doctrine breaks out Chap. 3. v. 22 23 24 25 26. Sect. 10. It is no otherwise as to the particulars of present Worship or future Blessednesse this meets with men in all their wandrings stops them in their disquisitions convinces them of the darknesse folly uncertainty falsenesse of all their Reasonings about these things and that with such an Evidence and Light as at once subdues them captivates their understanding and quiets their soules so was that old Roman World conquered by it so shall the Mahumetan be in Gods good and appointed time Sect. 11. Of what hath been spoken this is the summe All mankind that acknowledge their dependance upon God and Relation to him are naturally and cannot be otherwise grievously involved and perplexed in their hearts thoughts and Reasonings about the Worship of God Acceptation with him having sinned and the future Enjoyment of him some with more cleare and distinct Apprehensiōs of these things Some under more darke and generall notions of them are thus exercised To extricate themselves and to come to some issue in and about these enquiries hath been the great Designe of their Lives the Aime they had in all things they did as they thought Well and laudably in this world Notwithstanding all which they were never able to deliver themselves no not one of them or attaine satisfaction to their soules but waxed vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were more and more darkened In this estate of things the Doctrine of the Scripture comeing in with full unquestionable satisfaction to all these suited to the enquirings of every individuall soule with a largenesse of Wisdome and depth of Goodnesse not to be fathomed it must needs be from that God with whom we have to doe And those who are not perswaded hereby that will not cast Anchor in this harbour let them put to sea once more if they dare turne themselves loose to other considerations and try if all the forementioned perplexities do not inevitably returne Sect. 12. Another consideration of the Doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it There are some Doctrines of the Scripture some Revelations in it so sublimely glorious of so profound and mysterious an Excellency that at the first proposall of them nature startles shrinks and is taken with Horrour meeting with that which is above it too great and too excellent for it which it could desirously avoid and decline but yet gathering it selfe up to them it yeilds and finds that unlesse they are accepted and submitted unto though unsearchable that not only All that hath been received must be rejected but also the whole dependance of the Creature on God be dissolved or rendred only dreadfull terrible and destructive to nature its selfe Such are the Doctrines of the Trinity of the Incarnation of the son of God of the Resurrection of the dead of the new birth and the like At the first Revelation of these things nature is amazed cries how can these things be Or gathers up it selfe to Opposition this is babling like the Athenians folly as all the wise Greeks But when the Eyes of Reason are a little confirmed though it can never clearly behold the Glory of this Sun yet it confesseth a Glory to be in it above all that it is able to apprehend I could manifest in particular that the Doctrines before mentioned and severall others are of this importance namely though great above and beyond the reach of Reason yet upon search found to be such as without submission to them the whole comfortable Relation between God and man must needs be dissolved Sect. 13. Let us take a view in our Way of one of the Instances What is there in the whole Book of God that nature at first sight doth more recoyle at then the Doctrine of the Trinity How many do yet stumble fall at it I confesse the Doctrine its selfe is but sparingly yet it is clearly and distinctly delivered unto us in the Scripture The summe of it is that God is one His nature or his Being one That all the Properties or infinite Essentiall Excellencies of God as God do belong to that one nature and Being This God is infinitely Good Holy Just Powerfull He is eternall omnipotent omnipresēt these things belong to none but him that is that One God That this God is the Father Son and Holy Ghost which are not diverse names of the same Person nor distinct Attributes or Properties of the same nature or Being but One Another and a Third all equally that One God yet really distinguished between themselves by such uncommunicable Properties as cōstitute the One to be that One and the Other to be that Other and the Third to be that Third Thus the Trinity is not the Union nor Unity of three but it is a Trinity in Unity or the Ternary number of Persons in the same Essence nor doth the Trinity in its formall conception denote the Essence as if the Essence were comprehended in the Trinity which is in each Person but it denotes only the distinction of the Persons comprised in
cap. 10 one of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if but one letter be wanting and an other if but one letter be redundant Of which more shall be spoken if occasion be offered Even among the Heathen we will scarse thinke that the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to transcribe the Sybils verses would doe it either negligently or treacherously or alter one Tittle from what they found written and shall we entertaine such thoughts of them who knew they had to doe with the living God and that in and about that which is dearer to him than all the world besides Let men then clamour as they please and cry out of all men as ignorant and stupid which will not grant the corruptions of the old Testament which they plead for which is the way of Morinus or let them propose their owne conjectures of the wayes of the entrance of the mistakes that they pretend are crept into the originall copies with their Remedies which is the way of Capellus we shall acknowledge nothing of this nature but what they can prove by undeniable and irrefragable instances which as to any thing as yet done by them or those that follow in their footsteps appeares upon the matter to be nothing at all To this purpose take our sense in the word of a very learned man Ut in iis libris qui sine vocalibus conscripti sunt certum constantémque exemplarium omnium tum excusarum scriptionem similémque omnino comperimus sic in omnibus etiam iis quibus puncta sunt addita non aliam cuipiam nec Discrepantem aliis punctationem observavimus nec quisquam est qui ullo in loco diversa lectionis Hebraicae exemplaria ab iis quae circumferuntur vidisse se asserat modo Grammaticam rationem observatam dicat Et quidem Dei consilio ac voluntate factum putamus ut cum magna Graecorum Latinorúmque ferè omnium ejusdem auctoris exemplarium ac praesertim manuscriptorū pluribus in locis varietas deprehendatur magna tamen in omnibus Hebraicis quaecunq nostro saeculo inveninutur Bib iis scriptionis aequalitas similitudo atque constantia servetur quocunque modo scripta illa sint sive solis consonantibus constent sive punctis etiam instructa visantur Arias Montan. Praefat. ad Bibia Interlin de varia Hebraicorum librorum scriptione lectione It can then with no coulour of probability be asserted which yet I find some learned men too free in granting namely that there hath the same Fate attended the Scripture in its transcription as hath done other Bookes Let me say without offence this imagination asserted on deliberation seemes to me to border on Atheisme Surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word with his Love and Care of his Church of whose faith and obedience that word of his is the only Rule require other thoughts at our hands Sect. 7. 3ly We adde that the whole scripture entire as given out from God without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originalls yet remaining What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared in them all we say is every letter and Title of the Word These Copies we say are the Rule standard and touch-stone of all Translations antient or moderne by which they are in all things to be examined tryed corrected amended and themselves only by themselves Translations containe the Word of God and are the Word of God perfectly or imperfectly according as they expresse the words sense and meaning of those originalls To advance any all Translations concurring into an Equality with the Originalls so to set them by it as to set them up with it on even termes much more to propose and use them as meanes of castigating amending altering any thing in them gathering various lections by them is to set up an Altar of our owne by the Altar of God and to make equall the Wisdome care skill and diligence of men with the wisdome care and Providence of God himselfe It is a foolish conjecture of Morinus from some words of Epiphanius that Origen in his Octopla placed the Translation of the 70 in the middest to be the Rule of all the Rest even of the Hebrew its selfe that was to be regulated and amended by it media igitur omnium catholica editio collocata erat ut ad eam Hebraea caeter aeque editiones exigerentur emendarentur Excercit lib. 1. cap. 3. pag. 15. The Truth is he placed the Hebrew in Hebrew Characters in the first place as the Rule and standard of all the rest the same in Greeke Characters in the next place then that of Aquila then that of Symmachus after which in the fifth place followed that of the 70 mixed with that of Theodotion Sect. 8. The various Arguments giving Evidence to this Truth that might be produced are too many for me now to insist upon and would take up more roome then is allotted to the whole discourse should I handle them at large and according to the merit of this cause 1. The Providence of God in taking care of his Word which he hath magnified above all his name as the most Glorious Product of his Wisdome and Goodnesse his great concernement in this world answering his promise to this purpose 2ly The Religious care of the Church I speake not of the Romish Synagogue to whom these Oracles of God were committed 3ly The care of the first Writers in giving out Authentique Copies of what they had received from God unto many which might be Rules to the first transcribers 4ly The multiplying copies to such a number that it was impossible any should corrupt them all willfully or by negligence 5ly The preservation of the Authentique copies first in the Jewish Synagogues then in Christian Assemblies with Reverence and diligence 6ly The dayly Reading and studying of the Word by all sorts of Persons ever since it 's first writing rendring every Alteration lyable to immediate observation and discovery and that all over the world with 7ly The consideration of the many millions that looked on every Tittle and letter in this Booke as their inheritance which for the whole world they would not be deprived of And in particular for the old Testament now most Questioned 8ly The care of Ezra and his companions the men of the great Synagoue in restoring the Scripture to its purity when it had met with the greatest tryall that it ever underwent in this World considering the paucity of the Copies then extant 9ly The care of the Massorites from his dayes and downward to keep perfect and give an account of every syllable in the Scripture of which see Buxtorfius Com Mas with 10 The constant consent of all copies in the world so that as sundry learned men have observed there is not in the whole Mishna Gemara or either Talmud any one place of Scripture found otherwise read then as it is now in our copies 11.
that the Present Hebrew Character is not that used by God himselfe and in the old Church before the captivity of Babylon but it is the Chaldean the other being left to the Samaritans That the Points or vowels and accents are a late invention of the Tiberian Massorites long after sundry Translations were extant in the world That the Keri Uketif are criticall notes consisting partly of various lections gathered by the late Massorites and Rabbins That considering how oft times in likelyhood Translators read the Text before the invention of the Points and accents the Present Reading may be corrected and amended by them and that because the old Translators had other copies or differing copies from them which we now enjoy That where grosse faults are crept into the Hebrew Text men may by their own conjectures find out various lections whereby they may be amended and to this purpose an instance of such various lections or rather corrections of the Originall is in the Appendix exhibited unto us out of Grotius That the Books of the Scriptures have had the fate of other Books by passing through the hands of many Transcribers they have upon them the marks of their negligence ignorance and sloth Sect. 3. Now truly I cannot but wish that some other way had been found out to give esteem and reputation to this noble collection of Translations then by espousing these opinions so prejudiciall to the Truth and Authority of the Originalls And it may be justly feared that where one will releive himselfe against the Uncertainty of the Originalls by the considerations of the various Translations here exhibited unto us being such as upon triall they will be found to be many will be ready to question the foundation of all Sect. 4. It is true the Learned Prefacer ownes not those wretched consequences that some have laboured to draw from these Premises yet it must be acknowledged also that sufficient security against the lawfull deriving those consequences from these Premises is not tendred unto us He saies not that because this is the state of the Hebrew Language and Bible therefore all things in it are dubious and uncertaine easy to be turned unto various senses not fit to be a Rule for the Triall of other Translations though he knows full well who thinks this a just consequence from the opinion of the novelty of the vowells and himselfe grants that all our knowledge of the Hebrew is taken from the Translation of the 70 as he is quoted to that purpose by Morinus Praefat. ad opuse Hebrae Samarit He concludes not that on these accounts we must rely upon as infallible living Judge and the Translation that he shall commend unto us though he knows full well who do so himselfe gives it a for rule that at the correction of the Originall we have the consent of the guides of the Church I could desire then I say that sufficient security may be tendred us against these inferences before the premises be embraced seeing great and wise men as we shall further see anon do suppose them naturally and necessarily to flow from them Sect. 5. It is confessed that some learned men even among the Protestants have heretofore vented these or some of these paradoxes especially Capellus in his arcanum punctationis revelatum Critica sacra and other Treatises in the defence whereof as I heare he still laboureth being unwilling to suffer losse in the fruit of so great pains What will become of his reply unto Buxtorfius in the defence of his Critica I know not reports are that it is finished And it is thought he must once more fly to the Papists by the help of his Son a great zealot amongst them as he did with his Critica to get it published The generality of learned men among Protestants are not yet infected with this leaven Nor indeed do I find his boldnesse in conjecturing approved in these Prolegomena But let it be free for men to make known their judgments in the severalls mentioned It hath been so and may it abide so still Had not this great and usefull VVork been prefaced with the stating of them it had not been of publick Concernment as now it seems to be to have taken notice of them Sect. 6. Besides it is not known whither this inconvenience will grow Origen in his octupla as was declared fixed the Hebrew originall as the Rule and measure of all Translations In the reviving of that kind of work by Zimenius in the Complutensian Bibles its Station is left unto it Arias Montanus who followed in their steps concerning whose performances under his master the King of Spaine I may say for sundry Excellencies nil oriturum alias nil ortum tale was religiously carefull to maintaine the purity of the Originalls publishing the Hebrew verity as it is called by Hierome Austin and others of the Ancients as the rule of Examining by it all translations whatever for which he is since accused of Ignorance by a petulant Jesuite that never deserved to carry his books after him Michael le Jay hath given a turne to this progresse and in plaine termes exalts a corrupt Translation above the Originalls and that upon the principle under consideration as is abundantly manifest from Morinus And if this Change of judgment which hath been long insinuating it selfe by the curiosity and boldnesse of Criticks should break in also upon the Protestant World and be avowed in publick works it is easy to conjecture what the End will be We went from Rome under the conduct of the purity of the Originalls I wish none have a mind to returne thither againe under the pretence of their corruption CHAP. IV. 1. The originall of the Points proposed to consideration in particular 2 The importance of the points to the right understanding of the Scripture the testimony of Morinus Junius Johannes Isaac Cevallerius and others 3 The use made by the Papists of the opinion of the Novelty of the Points 4 The importance of the Points farther manifested The extreme danger of making the Hebrew Punctation Arbitrary 5 That danger evinced by Instance 6 No reliefe against that Danger on the grounds of the opinion considered 7 The Authors of the Hebrew Punctation according to the Prolegomena who what Morinus his folly The improbability of this pretence 8 The state of the Jewes the supposed inventors of the Points after the destruction of the Temple 9 Two attempts made by them to restore their Religion The former under Barchochab with its issue 10 The second under R. Juda with its issue 11 The rise and foundation of the Talmuds 12 The state of the Jews upon and after the writing of the Talmuds 13 Their rancour against Christ 14 Who the Tiberian Massorites were that are the supposed Authors of the Hebrew Punctation their description 15 That figment rejected 16 The late Testimony of Dr. Light foot to this purpose 17 The rise of the opinion of the Novelty of the
son of Pandira and Stada in the Talmud the blessed Messias is intended So did Galatinus Arcan Relig. Cathol lib. 1. cap. 7. and Reuchlins Cabal lib. 1. p. 636. Guliel Schickard in Prooem Tarich p. 83. The contrary is asserted by Reynoldus praelec in lib. Apoc. praelec 103. p. 405 406. Buxtorfius lexic. Rab. voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vorstius not ad Tzem Dau pag. 264. And in truth the Reason pleaded by Galatinus and others to prove that they did not intend our Saviour doth upon due consideration evince the contrary The Jesus say they who is mentioned in the Talmud lived in the daies of the Machabees being slaine in the time of Hyrcanus or of Aristobulus an 100 yeares before the death of the true Messias so that it cannot be he who is by them intended But this is invented by the cursed wretches that it should not appeare that their Temple was so soon destroyed after their wicked defection from God in killing of his son This is most manifest from what is cited by Genebrard from Abraham Levita in his Cabala hystoriae where he saies that Christians invented this story that Jesus was crucified in the life of Herod that is the Tetrarch that it might appeare that their Temple was destroyed immediatly thereupon when saith he it is evident from the Mishna and Talmud that he lived in the time of Alexander and was crucified in the daies of Aristobulus So discovering the true ground why they perverted the whole story of his Time namely lest all the world should see their sin and punishment standing so neer together But it is well that the time of our Saviours suffering and death was affirmed even by the Heathens before either their Mishna or Talmud were borne or thought of Abolendo rumori he speaks of Nero of his firing Rome subdidit reos quaesitissimis poenis affecit quos per flagitia invisos vulgus Christianos appellabat Author nominis ejus Christus qui Tiberio imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. To returne to our Jews universally in all their old Writings they have carried on a designe of impugning him in his Gospell For as we need not their testimony nor any thing but the Scripture for their Conviction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to acknowledge the truth the places cited out of their Talmuds and Gemara from the Cabalists other Rabbins by Martinus Raymundus Porchetus Galatinus Reuchlinus and others setting aside Galatinus his Gale Rezeia which must be set aside seeme to be wrested the most of them besides their intentions as things obscurely Metaphorically and Mystically written are easily dealt withall Their disputes about the Messiah when they speak of him of set purpose as in lib. sanedrim are foolish contradictious triflings wherein they leave all things as uncertaine as if they were wrangling in their wonted manner de lana Caprina So that for my part I am not much removed from the opinion of Hulsius lib. 1. pa. 2. dic sup de Temp. Messiae that Aesops fables are of as much use in Christian Religion as the Judaicall Talmud Whilst they keep the Scripture we shall never want Weapons out of their own armory for their destruction Like the Philistine they carry the weapon that will serve to cut off their own Heads Now the Tiberian Massorites the supposed Inventors of the points vowels and Accents which we now use were men living after the finishing the last Talmud whose whole Religion was built thereon Sect. 14. Let us then a little without prejudice or passion consider who or what these men were who are the supposed Authors of this worke 1. Men they were if any such were who had not the Word of God committed to them in a peculiar manner as their forefathers had of old being no part of his Church or People but were only outwardly possessors of the Letter without just Right or Title to it utterly uninterested in the promise of the communication of the Spirit which is the great Charter of the Churches preservation of truth Isa 59. 21. 2 Men so remote from a right understanding of the Word or the Mind and Will of God therein that they were desperately engaged to oppose his Truth in the Books which themselves enjoyed in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God or the Good of their owne soules from the beginning to the ending The foundation of whose Religion was infidelity and one of their cheife fundamentals an opposition to the Gospell 3. Men under the speciall Curse of God and his vengeance upon the Account of the Blood of his deare Son 4. Men all their daies feeding themselves with vaine fables and mischeivous devices against the Gospell labouring to set up a new Religion under the name of the old in despight of God so striving to wrestle it out with his curse to the utmost 5. Men of a prosound ignorance in all manner of Learning and knowledge but only what concerned their own dunghill Traditions as appears in their stories wherein they make Pirrhus King of Epirus help Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem with innumerable the like fopperies 6. Men so addicted to such monstrous figments as appears in their Talmuds as their successors of after ages are ashamed of and seek to palliate what they are able yea for the most part Idolaters and Magicians as I shall evince Now I dare leave it to the judgment of any godly prudent person not addicted to parties and names of men who is at all acquainted with the importance of the Hebrew vowels and Accents unto the right understanding of the Scripture with what influence their present fixation hath into the literall sense we embrace whether we need not very cleare evidence and Testimony yea undeniable and unquestionable to cast the rise and spring of them upon the invention of this sort of men Sect. 15. Of all the fables that are in the Talmud I know none more incredible than this story that men who cannot by any story or other record be made to appeare that they ever were in rerum naturâ such men as we have described obscure unobserved not taken notice of by any Learned man Jew or Christian should in a time of deep ignorance in the place where they lived amongst a people wholy addicted to monstrous fables themselves blinded under the Curse of God find out so great so excellent a work of such unspeakable usefulnesse not once advising with the men of their own profession and Religion who then flourished in great abundance at Babylon and the places adjacent and impose it on all the World that receive the Scriptures and have every Tittle of their work received without any opposition or question from any person or persons of any principle whatever yea so as to have their Invention made the constant Rule of all following Expositions Comments and Interpretations Credat Apella To
be 8 or 9 remembring this Argument about the Hebrew points I desired him to give his thoughts in a few words the next day which he did accordingly now because his discourse seems evidently to discover the vanity of this pretence that the Hebrew vowels are an arbitrary invention from their number I have here inserted it Apert sounds are either Simple Vowels Double Dipthongs 1 Apert simple sounds are distinguishable Formally Acccidentally 1 The Formall difference is that which doth constitute severall letters and must depend upon the various Apertion required to the making of them together with the Gravity or Acutenesse of the tone which is made by them According to which there are at least eight simple vowels that are by us easily distinguishable viz. 1 2 E magis Acutum as in He me she ye c. minus Acutum as the English The the Latine me te se c. 3 I or Y which are both to be accounted of one power and sound Shi di Thy my 4 5 A magis Apertum All tall gall wall minus Apertum Ale tale gale wele 6 7 O RotunduÌ„ minus grave as the English Go. so no. the Latine De. magis grave pingue as the English Do. to who 8 U as in Tu. use us c. So many apert simple sounds there are evidently distinguishable I would be loth to say that there neither are nor can be any more for who knowes how many other minute differences of Apertion and Gravity may be now used or hereafter found out by others which practise and custome may make as easy to them as these are to us 2 But besides this formall difference they are some of them Accidentally distinguishable from one another with reference to the quantity of time required to their prolation whereby the same Vowell becomes sometimes Long Short So E. min. Acute Long Short mete steme met stem I L alive Give Drive title Thine S Live give Driven ☞ ie tittle Thin A L Bate hate cate same dame ae S Bat hat cat Sam. dam. O. Rotund L. one none note c. â—oe veloa S. one non Lat. not U L. use Tune pule acute ue S. us Tun. pull cutt The other remaining vowels viz. E. magis Acut. A. magis Apert O. magis grave doe not change their Quantities but are alwaies long 2 Dipthongs are made of the Complexion of two Vowels in one Syllable where the sounds of both are heard These are 1 Ei Ey Hei Lat. They. 2 Ea. eate meate seate Teate yea plea. 3 Eu ew Few Dew Heu Lat. 4 Ai Ay. Aide saide pay day 5 Au Aw Audience Author Law Draw 6 Oi Oy Point soile Boy Toy 7 Ou Ow. Rout stout How now 8 Ui Uy Bui juice 9 Eo Yeoman People How other dipthongs which have been used may be significant for the expression of long Vowels see noted above ☞ There is then very little weight to be ventred upon the strength of this Objection Proleg 8. 46. Sect. 11. 7 It is further pleaded that the ancient translations the Greeke the Caldee and the Syriack doe manifest that at the time of their Composing the points were not invented And that because in sundry places it is evident that they read otherwise or the words with other points I meane as to the force and sound not figure of them than those now affixed For this purpose very many instances are given us out of the Seventy especially by Capellus Grotius also takes the same course But neither is the Objection of any force to turne the Scale in the matter under Consideration Somewhat will in the close of this disourse be spoken of those Translations The differences that may bee observed in them especially the former would as well prove that they had other Consonants that is that the Copies they used had other letters and words then ours as other vowels Yea if we must suppose where they differ from our present Reading they had other and better Copies it is most Certaine that we must grant ours to be very Corrupt Hoc Ithacus vellet nor can this inference be avoided as shall God willing be further manifested if Occasion be administred The truth is the present Copies that we have of the Seventy doe in many places so vary from the Originall that it is beyond all Conjecture what should occasion it I wish some would try their skill upon some part of Job the Psalmes and the Prophets to see if by all their inquiries of extracting various lections they can find out how they read in their Books if they rendered as they read and we enjoy what they rendred Symeon de Muys tels us a very pretty story of himselfe to this purpose Assert Heb. Vind. Sect. 1 as also how ridiculous he was in his attempt But I shall recall that desire The scripture indeed is not so to be dealt withall we have had too much of that work already The Rabbinicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be Compared with some of our Criticks Temura and Notaricon Of the Chaldee Paraphrase I shall speake afterwards It seemes not to be of the Antiquity pretended It is not mentioned by Josephus nor Origen nor Hierome but this will not impeach its Antiquity But whereas it is most certaine that it was in high esteeme and reverence among all the Jewes before the time assigned for the punctation of the points it seemes strange that they should in disposing of them differ from it voluntarily in so many places 2ly Besides though these Translatours or any of them might use Copies without vowels as it is confessed that alwayes some such there were as still there are yet it doth not follow at all that therefore the points were not found out nor in use But more of this when we come to speake distinctly of these Translations Sect. 12. 8 Of the same importance is that which is in the last place insisted on from the silence of Hierome and others of the Ancients as to the use of the points among the Hebrewes But Hierome saw not all things not the Chaldee Paraphrase which our Authors suppose to have beene extant at least 400 yeares before him So it cannot be made Evident that he mentioned all that he saw To speak expresly of the Vowels he had no Occasion there was then no Controversy about them Nor were they then distinctly knowne by the names wherby they are now called The whole Current of his Translation argues that he had the Bible as now pointed Yea Learned men have manifested by instances that seeme of irrefragable evidence that he had the use of them Or it may be he could not obtaine a pointed Copy but was instructed by his Jew in the right pronuntiation of words Copies were then scarce and the Jewes full of envy all these things are uncertaine See Munster Praefat ad Bib. The Truth is either I cannot understand his words or he doth positively affirme that the Hebrew had the use of
of the East and Westerne Jewes at the end of the Venetian Bibles which Bibles he chiefly used in the printing of his own And yet on the other hand men acquainted with the Ability and great deserving of Arias will be hardly perswaded that he was so blind and ignorant as to affirme the greatest part of the variety he spoke of consisted in the changing of Vowels and immediately to give instances wherein all he mentions consists in the change of Consonants only But what if all this should prove the ignorance and prejudice of Morinus First to his redoubled Assertion about the difference of the Keri and Ketib in the Consonants only wherein he speakes as though he were blessing the world with a new and strange discovery it is a thing knowne lippis Tonsoribus hath been so since the dayes of Elias Levita What then intended Arias Montanus to affirme the Contrary hic nigri succus loliginis haec est aerugo mera he speakes not at all of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but merely of the anomalous pointing of words in a various way from the Genius of the tongue as they are observed and reckoned up in the Massora of other Varieties he speakes afterward giving a particular account of the Keri Uketib which whether he esteemed Various lections nor no I know not Non si te superis aeques But all are ignorant who are not of the mind of an aspiring Jesuite Sect. 4. That the difference in the sense taking in the whole context is upon the matter very little or none at all at least each word both that in the line and that in the margin yeeld a sense agreeable to the Anology of faith Of all the Varieties that are found of this kind that of two words the same in sound but of most distinct significations seemes of the greatest importance Namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 or 15 times where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not is in the Text the margin notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him or his to be read But yet though these seeme Contrary one to the other yet where ever this falls out a sense agreable to the Analogie of faith ariseth fairely from either word As to give one or two instances Psal 100. verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us and not we our selves The Keri in the margin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his giving this sense he hath made us and his we are The verbe Substantive being included in the pronounce So Isa 63. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their afflictions or straights no straightnesse So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straightnesse or affliction was to him or he was straightened or afflicted In the first way God signifieth that when they were in their outward straights yet he was not straightned from their reliefe in the other that he had Compassion for them was afflicted with them which upon the matter is the same And the like may be shewed of the rest Sect. 5. I confesse I am not able fully to satisfy my selfe in the Originall and spring of all this Variety being not willing meerly to depend on the Testimony of the Jewes much lesse on the conjectures of late innovators To the uttermost length of my view to give a full account of this thing is a matter of no small difficulty Their Venerable Antiquity and unquestionable Reception by all Translatours gives them sanctuary from being cast downe from the place they hold by any mans bare Conjecture That which to me is of the greatest importance is that they appeare most of them to have been in the Bibles then when the Oracles of God were Committed to the Jews during which time we find them not blamed for adding or altering one word or Tittle Hence the Caldee Paraphrast often followes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which never was in the Line whatever some boastingly conjecture to the contrary and sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which seemes to me most probable is that they were Collected for the most part of them by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the Great Congregation Some indeed I find of late I hope not out of a designe to bring all things to a further Confusion about the Originall to question whether ever there were any such thing as the great congregation Morinus calls it a Judaicall figment Our Prolegomena question it Prol. 8. Sect. 22. But this is only to question whether Ezra Nehemiah Josua Zacharie Haggai the rest of the leaders of the people in their returne from the Captivity did set a Sanydrym according to the institution of God and labour to reforme the Church all the Corruptions that were crept either into the Word or worship of God I see not how this can reasonably be called into question if we had not to confirme it the Catholicke tradition of Jews and Christians Neither is it called the great Congregation from its number but eminency of persons Now on this supposition it may be granted that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the books of these men themselves Ezra and the rest were collected by the succeeding Churches Unlesse we shall suppose with Anisworth that the Word was so received from God as to make both necessary And if we know not the true Cause of its being so given we have nothing to blame but our owne ignorance this not being the Only Case wherein we have reason so to doe Our last Translation generally rendreth the word in the Margent noteing also the Word in the line where there is any Considerable difference Those who have leisure for such a worke may observe what choyce is used in this Case by old and Moderne Translatours And if they had not believed them to have had an Authoritative originall beyond the impeachment of any man in these dayes they could not fairly and honestly have used both line and margin as they have done Sect. 6. What sayes now our Prolegomena with the Appendix unto these things 1. We have them in the Appendix represented unto us in their own order according as they are found in the bookes of the Scriptures And then over againe in the order and under the heads that they are drawne and driven unto by Capellus A taske that learned man tooke upon himselfe that he might in the performance of it give some Countenance to his Opinion that they are for the most part Criticall Emendations of the Text made by some late Massorites that came no man knowes whence that lived no man knowes where nor when Thus whereas these Keri Uketib have the only face and appearance upon the matter of Various lections upon the old Testament for the Jewes Collections of the Various Readings of Ben Asher and Ben Nepthali of the Orientall and Occidentall Jewes are of no Value nor ever had place in their Bible and may be rejected the unwary Viewer