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
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
they thinke is hid to others also Hence when any thing presents its selfe new to their minds as though they were the first that knew what they then first know and which they have only an obscure glimpse of they rest not untill they have published it to their praise Such are the discourses of that person partly triviall partly obviated and rendred utterly uselesse to his purpose by that treatise which he ventured weakly to oppose I wish I could prevaile with those whose interest compells them to choose rather to be ignorant then to be taught by me to let my books alone Another after two or three years consideration in answer to a book of neer 140 sheets of paper returnes a scoffing reply to so much of it as was written in a quarter of an houre I am therefore still minded to abstaine from such Engagements And I think I may say if there were lesse writing by some there would be more reading by others at least to more purpose Many books full of profound learning lye neglected whilst men spend their time on Trifles And many things of great Worth are suppressed by their Authors whilst things of uo value are poured out one on the neck of another One of your selves I have often solicited for the Publishing of some Divinity lectures read at solemne times in the University which if I know ought are to say no more worthy of publick view I yet Hope a short time will answer my desire and expectation Of my present Vndertaking there are 3 parts The first is a Subject that having preached on I was by many urged to publish my thoughts upon it judging it might be usefull I have answered their requests what I have performed through the grace of Christ in the worke undertaken is left to the judgment of the Godly learned Reader The second concernes the Prolegomena and Appendix to the late Biblia Polyglotta of this I said often ab alio quovis hoc fieri mallem quà m à me sed à me tamen potius quà m à nemine The reasons of my ingaging in that worke are declared at large in the entrāce of it The theses in the close were drawn in by their affinity in Subject to the other discourses and to compleat the doctrine of the Scripture concerning the Scripture I endeavoured to cōprize in thē the whole truth about the Word of God as to name thing opposed by the poor fanaticall Quakers as also to discover the Principles they proceed upon in their Confused opposition to that Truth I have no more to adde but only begging I may have the Continuance of your prayers and assistance in your severall stations for the carrying on the worke of our Lord and Master in this place committed unto us that I may give my account with joy and not with Griefe to him that stands at the door I commend you to the powerfull word of his Grace and remaine Your fellow labourer and Brother in our dear Lord Jesus I. O. From my study Septemb. 22. 1658. Of the Divine Originall with the Authority selfe evidencing Power and Light of the Holy Scriptures CHAP. I. The Divine Originall of the Scripture the sole foundation of it's Authority The Originall of the old Testament Heb. 1. 11. Severall wayes of immediate Revelation The peculiar manner of the Revelation of the word Considerations thereon Various expressions of that way 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. The written word as written preserved by the Providence of God Capellus opinion about various lections considered The Scripture not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The true meaning of that Expression How the word came of old and how it was received Entirely from God to the least Title Of the Scriptures of the New Testament and their peculiar prerogative Sect. 1. THAT the whole Authority of the Scripture in it's selfe depends solely on it's Divine Originall is confessed by all who acknowledge it's Authority The evincing and declaration of that Authority being the thing at present aymed at The discovery of it's divine Spring and Rise is in the first place necessarily to be premised thereunto That foundation being once laid we shall be able to educe our following Reasonings and Arguments wherein we aime more at weight than number from their own proper Principles Sect. 2. As to the Originall of the Scripture of the Old Testament it is said God SPAKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 1 of old or formerly in the Prophets From the dayes of Moses the Lawgiver and downwards unto the consignation and bounding of the Canon delivered to the Judaicall Church in the dayes of Ezra and his companions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the great Congregation so God spake This being done only among the Jewes they as his Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 2 9 4. were intrusted with the Oracles of God God spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome Theophilact in for by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Prophets as Luk. 1. 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mouth of the Holy Prophets But there seemes to be somewhat farther intended in this Expression Sect. 3. In the Exposition or giving out the eternall Counsell of the Mind Will of God unto men there is considerable his speaking unto the Prophets and his speaking by them unto us In this expression it seemes to be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or filia vocis that voice from heaven that came to the Prophets which is understood So God spake in the Prophets and in reference thereunto there is Propriety in that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Prophets Thus the Psalmes are many of them said to be To this or that man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Golden psalme to David that is from the Lord and from thence their tongue was as the Pen of a writer Psal 45. 1. So God spake in them before he spake by them Sect. 4. The various wayes of speciall Revelation by Dreames Visions Audible voyces Inspirations with that peculiar one of the Law giver under the Old Testament called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face to face Exod. 33. 11. Deut. 34. 10 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 11. 8 with that which is compared with it and exalted above it Heb. 1. 1 2 3. in the New by the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the bosome of the father Joh. 1. 17. 18 are not of my present consideration all of them belonging to the manner of the thing enquired after not the thing its selfe Sect. 5. By the Assertion then laid down of God speaking in the Prophets of old from the beginning to the End of that long tract of time consisting of 1000 yeares wherein he gave out the writings of the old Testament Two things are ascertained unto us which are the foundation of our present discourse Sect. 6. 1 That the Laws they made knowne the Doctrines they delivered the Instructions they gave the
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
The Ground of the Request for the rising of one from the dead is laid in the common Apprehension of men not knowing the power of God in the Scriptures who thinke that if an evident miracle were wrought all pretences and pleas of Unbeliefe would be excluded who doth not think so Our Saviour discovers that mistake and lets men know that those who will not owne or submit to the Authority of God in the Word would not be moved by the most signall miracles imaginable If an holy man whom we had known assuredly to have been dead for some yeares should rise out of his grave and come unto us with a message from God could any man doubt whether he were sent unto us of God or no I suppose not The rising of men from the dead was the greatest miracle that attended the Resurrection of our Saviour Math. 27. 52 53. yea greater then his owne if the Socinians may be beleived namely in that he raised not himselfe by his owne power yet the evidence of the mission of such an One the Authority of God speaking in him our Saviour being Judge is not of an Efficacy to enforce beleife beyond that which is in the Written Word nor a surer foundation for faith to repose its selfe upon Sect. 15. Could we heare a Voice from Heaven accompanied with such a divine power as to evidence its selfe to be from God should we not rest in it as such I suppose men think they would can we think that any man should withdraw his Assent and say yea but I must have some Testimony that this is from God All such Evasions are precluded in the supposition wherein a selfe evidencing Power is granted What greater miracles did the Apostles of Christ ever behold or heare then that Voice that came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the most excellent Glory This is my beloved Son yet Peter who heard that voice tells us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the Written Word then they had in and by that miraculous voice We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we heard saith he that voice indeed but we have a more sure word of Prophesy to attend unto More sure not in in its selfe but in its giveing out its Evidence unto us And how doth it appear so to be The Reason he alledges for it was before insisted on 2 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. Sect. 16. Yea suppose that God should speak to us from Heaven as he spake to Moses or as he spake to Christ or from some certaine place as Numb 7. 8 9. How should we be able to know it to be the Voice of God Cannot Sathan cause a Voice to be heard in the Aire and so deceive us or may not there be some way in this kind found out whereby men might impose upon us with their delusions Pope Celestine thought he heard a voice from heaven when it was but the cheat of his Successor Must We not rest at last in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which accompanies the true Voice of God evidencing its selfe and ascertaining the Soule beyond all possibility of mistake Now did not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accompany the written Word at its first giving forth if it did not as was said how could any man be obliged to discerne it from all delusions if it did how came it to loose it did God appoint his word to be Written that so he might destroy its Authority If the Question be whether the doctrines proposed to be believed are Truths of God or cunningly devised fables we are sent to the Scripture its selfe and that alone to give the Determination CHAP. IV. Innate Arguments in the Scripture of its divine originall and Authority These the formall Reason of our Believing It s selfe evidencing Efficacy All light mâ—nifests it selfe The Scripture Light What kind of Light it is Spirituall light evidentiall The ground of mens not discerning this Light Consectaries from the Premises laid down What the selfe Evidencing Light of the Scripture peculiarly is The Proposition of the Scripture as an object of faith is from and by this Light Power selfe Evidencing The Scripture the Power of God And Powerfull How this Power exerts its selfe The whole Question resolved § 1. HAving given some few instances of those many Testimonies which the Scripture in expresse Termes beares to its selfe and the spring rise and fountaine of all that Authority which it claimes among and over the sons of men which all those who pretend on any account whatever to owne and acknowledge its Divinity are bound to stand to and are obliged by The second thing proposed or the innate Arguments that the Word of God is furnished withall for its owne manifestation and whereby the Authority of God is revealed for faith to repose its selfe upon comes in the next place into consideration Now these Arguments containe the full and formall Grounds of our Answer to that enquiry before laid downe namely why and wherefore we doe receive and beleive the Scripture to be the word of God It being the formall Reason of our faith that whereon it is built and whereunto it is resolved that is enquired after we answer as we said before we do so receive embrace believe and submit unto it because of the Authority of God who speaks it or gave it forth as his Mind and Will evidencing its selfe by the spirit in and with that word unto our minds and Consciences or because that the Scripture being brought unto us by the good Providence of God in Waies of his Appointment and Preservation it doth evidence its selfe infallibly unto our consciences to be the Word of the living God Sect. 2. The selfe evidencing Efficacy of the Scripture and the grounds of it which consist in common mediums that have an extent and latitude answerable to the Reasons of men whether as yet they acknowledge it to be the Word of God or no is that then which in the remainder of this discourse I shall indeavour to cleare and vindicate This only I shall desire to premise that whereas some Grounds of this efficacy seeme to be placed in the things themselves contained in the Scripture I shall not consider them abstractedly as such but under the formality of their being the Scripture or Written Word of God without which consideration and Resolution the things mentioned would be left naked and utterly devested of their Authority and efficacy pleaded for and be of no other nature and importance then the same things found in other Books It is the Writing its selfe that now supplies the place and Roome of the Persons in and by whom God originally spake to men As were the Persons speaking of old so are the Writings now It was the Word spoken that was to be believed yet as spoken by them from God and it is now the Word written that is to be believed yet as written by the Command and Appointment of God Sect.
being wiser then any others and more able to discerne then they Now though I shall easily grant them to be very subtle and cunning yet that they are so much wiser then all the world besides that they are meet to impose upon their beliefe things that they neither do nor can discerne or know I would not be thought to admit untill I can believe my selfe and all others not of their society or combination to be beasts of the field and they as the serpent amongst us Sect. 26. If it be from the Scripture that they seek to make Good this claime then as we cause them there to make a stand which is all we aime at so their plea must be from the promise of some speciall Assistance granted to them for that purpose if their assistance be that of the spirit it is either of the spirit that is promised to believers to worke in them as before described and related or it is some private Testimony that they pretend is afforded to them If the former be affirmed we are in a condition wherein the necessity of devolving all on the scripture its selfe to decide and judge who are beleivers lies in every ones view if the latter who shall give me Assurance that when they pretend that witnesse and Testimony they do not lye and deceive we must here certainly go either to the Scrippture or to some cunning man to be resolved Isa 8. 19 20. Sect. 27. I confesse the Argument which hath not long since been singled out and dextrovsly mannaged by an able and learned pen namely of proving the Truth of the doctrine of the Scripture from the Truth of the story and the Truth of the story from the certainty there is that the Writers of the Books of the Bible were those Persons whose names and inscriptions they beare so pursuing the Evidence that what they wrote was true and known to them so to be from all requisita that may possibly be sought after for the strengthening of such Evidence is of great force and efficacy It is I say of great force and efficacy as to the end for which it is insisted on that is to satisfy mens rational Enquiries but as to a ground of faith it hath the same insufficiency with all other Arguments of the like kind Though I should grant that the Apostles penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry honesty integrity faithfullnesse holinesse that ever lived in the world as they were and that they wrote nothing but what themselves had as Good Assurance of as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attaine yet such a Knowledge and Assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God if they received not every Word by inspiration and that evidencing it's selfe unto us otherwise then by the Authority of their Integrity it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon Sect. 28. Before the committing of the Scriptures to writing God had given the World an Experiment what keepers men were of this Revelation by tradition Within some hundreds of yeares after the flood all knowledge of him through the craft of Sathan and the vanity of the minds of men which is unspeakable was so lost that nothing but as it were the creation of a new World or the Erection of a new Church state by new Revelations could relieve it After that great triall what can be farther pretended on the behalfe of Tradition I know not Sect. 29. The summe of all is The mercifull Good Providence of God having by divers and various meanes using therin amongst other things the ministry of men and Churches preserved the Writings of the Old and New Testament in the World and by the same gratious disposall afforded them unto us they are received and submitted unto by us upon the Grounds and evidences of their divine Originall before insisted on Sect 30. Upon the whole matter then I would know whither if the Scriptures should be brought to any man when or where he could not possibly have it attested to be the Word of God by any publick or private Authority of man or Church Tradition or otherwise he were bound to believe it or no whither he should obey God in believing or sin in the rejecting of it suppose de do but take it into consideration doe but give it the reading or hearing seeing in every place it avers it's selfe to be the Word of God he must of necessity either give credit unto it or disbelieve it To hang in suspense which ariseth from the imperfect actings of the faculties of the soule is in it's selfe a weaknesse and in this case being reckoned no the worst side is interpretatively a Rejection If you say it were the duty of such an one to believe it you acknowledge in the scripture it 's selfe a sufficient Evidence of it's own originall Authority without which it can be no man's duty to believe it If you say it would not be his sinne to reject and refuse it to disbelieve all that it speakes in the name of God then this is that you say God may truly and really speake unto a man as he doth by the Scripture and yet that man not be bound to believe him We deale not thus with one another Sect. 31. To wind up then the plea insisted on in the foregoing Chapter concerning the selfe evidencing Light and Power of the Scripture from which we have diverted and to make way for some other considerations that tend to the confirmation of their divine Originall I shall close this discourse with the two generall considerations following Sect. 32. 1 Then laying aside these failing pleas there seemes to be a morall impossibility that the Word of God should not manifest it 's own Originall and it's Authority from thence Quaelibet herba deum There is no Worke of God as was shewed but reveales it's Authour A curious Artificer imparts that of forme shape proportion and comelinesse to the fruit of his Invention and worke of his hands that every one that looks upon it must conclude that it comes from skill and Ability A man in the delivery of his mind in the writing of a Book will give it such an impression of Reason that though you cannot conclude that this or that man wrote it yet you must that it was the product of a man or Rationall creature yea some individuall men of Excellency in some skill are instantly knowne by them that are able to judge in that Art or skill by the Effects of their skill This is the Peice this is the hand the Worke of such an one How easy is it for those who are conversant about antient Authours to discover an Authour by the spirit and stile of his writings Now certainly this is strange beyond all beliefe that almost every Agent should give an impresse to it's worke whereby it may be appropriated unto him and only the
both opinions and Principles confirmed by suitable Practises that are of the nature and importance before mentioned 1 After a long dispute to that purpose it is determined that the Hebrew Points or Vowels and Accents are a novell Invention of some Judaicall Rabbins about 5 or 600 yeares after the giving out of the Gospell Hence 1. An Antiquity is ascribed to some Translations 2 or 3 at the least above and before the invention of these points whose agreement with the Originall cannot therefore by just consequence be tryed by the Present Text as now pointed and accented 2. The whole credit of our Reading and Interpretation of the Scripture as far as regulated by the present punctation depends solely on the faithfulnesse and skill of those Jewes whose invention this worke is asserted to be 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which sort are above 800 in the Hebrew Bibles are various Lections partly gathered by some Judaicall Rabbins out of ancient copies partly their criticall amendments And therefore After these various lections as they are esteemed are presented unto us in their own proper order wherein they stand in the great Bibles not surely to increase the Bulke of divers Readings or to present a face of new variety to a lesse attentive Observer but to evidence that they are such various lections as above described they are given us over a second time in the method whereinto they are cast by Capellus the great patriarch of these mysteries 3. That there are such Alterations befallen the Originall as in many places may be rectified by the Translations that have been made of old And therefore Various Lections may be observed and gathered out of those Translations by considering how they read in their copies and wherein they differed from those which we now enjoy 4. It is also declared that where any grosse faults or corruptions are befallen the originalls men may by their faculty of criticall conjecturing amend them and restore the native Lections that were lost though in generall without the Authority of Copies this be not to be allowed And therefore A collection of various Readings out of Grotius consisting for the most part in such conjectures is in the Appendix presented unto us 5. The voluminous Bulke of various Lections as nakedly exhibited seemes sufficient to be get scruples and doubts in the minds of men about the Truth of what hath been hitherto by many pretended concerning the Preservation of the Scripture through the care and providence of God Sect. 8. It is known to all men acquainted with things of this nature that in all these there is no new opinion coyned or maintained by the learned prefacer to these Bibles The severalls mentioned have been asserted and maintained by sundry learned men Had the opinion about them been kept in the ordinary Sphere of mens private conceptions in their own private writings running the hazard of mens Judgments on their own strength and Reputation I should not from my former discourse have esteemed my selfe concerned in them Every one of us must give an account of himselfe unto God It will be well for us if we are found holding the foundation If we build hay and stubble upon it though our work perish we shall be saved Let every man in these things be fully perswaded in his own mind it shall be to me no offence It is their being laid as the foundation of the usefulnesse of these biblia polyglotta with an endeavour to render them catholick not in their own strength but in their Appendage to the Authority that on Good grounds is expected to this work that calls for a due consideration of them All men who will find them stated in these prolegomena may not perhaps have had leasure may not perhaps have the Ability to know what issue the most of these things have been already driven unto in the writings of private men Sect. 9. As I willingly grant then that some of these things may without any great prejudice to the Truth be candidly debated amongst learned men so taking them altogether placed in the advantages they now enjoy I cannot but look upon them as an engine suited to the destruction of the important truth before pleaded for and as a fit weapon put into the hands of men of Atheisticall minds and Principles such as this Age abounds withall to oppose the whole evidence of Truth revealed in the Scripture I feare with some either the pretended infallible Judge or the depth of Atheisme will be found to lye at the door of these considerations Hoc Ithacus vellet But the debate of the Advantage of either Romanists or Atheists from hence belongs to another place and season Nor is the guilt of any consequences of this nature charged on the workmen which yet may be fear'd from the worke its selfe CHAP. II. 1 Of the Purity of the Originals 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture lost 3 That of Moses how and how long preserved Of the book found by Hilkiah 4 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the New Testament 5 Of the first copies of the originalls the Scribes of those copies not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is ascribed to them 9 The great and incomparable care of the scribes of it 7 The whole VVord of God in every Tittle of it preserved entire in the copies of the Originall extant 8 Heads of Arguments to that purpose 9 What various lections are granted in the Originall of the old and new Testament Sundry considerations concerning them manifesting them to be of no importance 10. 11. 12. 13. That the Jews have not corrupted the Text the most probable instances considered Sect. 1. HAving given an account of the Occasion of this discourse and mentioned the particulars that are all or some of them to be taken into further consideration before I proceed to their discussion I shall by way of Addition and Explanation to what hath been delivered in the former Treatise give a briefe account of my Apprehensions concerning the purity of the present Originall copies of the Scripture or rather copies of the Originall languages which the Church of God doth now and hath for many Ages enjoyed as her cheifest Treasure whereby it may more fully appeare what it is we plead for and defend against the insinuations and pretences above mentioned Sect. 2. First then it is granted that the individuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles are in all probability and as to all that we know utterly perished and lost out of the world As also the copies of Ezra The Reports mentioned by some to the contrary are open fictions The individuall Inke and Parchment the Rolls or books that they wrote could not without a miracle have been preserved from mouldring into dust before this time Nor doth it seeme improbable that God was willing by their losse to reduce us to a nearer consideration of his care
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
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
when extended or greatned by way of engraving or embossing any thing they shall be put upon or cut in Why may we not think they were invened for that purpose namely to engrave on vessels to stamp on coyne so came to be of some use in vvriting also Their shape and frame promises some such thing And this is rendred the more probable from the practise of the Aegyptians vvho as Clement Alexan tells us had 3 sorts of letters one vvhich he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvith vvhich they vvrote things of common use another termed by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Priests in the sacred vvritings and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich also vvas of tvvo sorts simple and symbolicall Seeing then it was no unusuall thing to have sundry sorts of letters for sundry purposes it is not improbable that it vvas so also among the Jevvs Not that they vvrote the sacred vvritings in a peculiar character as it vvere to hide thē which is declaimed against but only that the other Character might be in use for some purposes vvhich is not unusuall I cannot think the Greeks of old used only the unciall letters vvhich yet vve knovv some did though he did not vvho vvrote Homers Iliads in no greater a volume then would go into a nutshell Sect. 4. But if that should be granted that cannot be proved namely that such a Change was made yet this prejudices not them in the least who affirme Ezra and the men of the great Congregation to have been the Authors of the Points seeing the Authors of this rumour affixed that as the time wherein the old Hebrew letters were excommunicated out of the Church together with the Samaritans Nay it cast a probability on the other hand namely that Ezra laying aside the old letters because of their difficulty together with the new introduced the points to facilitate their use Nor can it be made to appeare that the Samaritan letters had never any vowels affixed to them Postellus affirmes that the Samaritans had points in the dayes of Hierome and that their losse of them is the cause of their present corrupt reading Punctis hodie quae habebant Hieronimi temporibus carent leguntque sine punctis admodum depravatè Postell Alphab 12. lingua There were alwaies some copies written without vowels which might be preserved and the other lost That people if we have any thing from them being wicked ignorant sottish superstitious Idolatrous rejectors of the greatest part of the Scripture Corruptors of what they had received might neglect the taske of transcribing Copies with Points because a matter of so great Care and diligence to be performed aright Nor is it improbable what ever is pretended to the contrary that continuing in their sepation from the people of God they might get the Law written in a Character of their own choosing out of hatred to the Jews Now let any man judge whither from this heap of Uncertaintyes any thing can arise with the face of a Witnesse to be admitted to give Testimony in the cause in hand He that will part with his possession on such easy Tearms never found much benefit in it Sect. 5. 2 The Constant Practice of the Jews in preserving in their Synagogues one Book which they almost adore written without points is alleadged to the same purpose for what do they else hereby but tacitely acknowledge the Points to have an humane Originall An But it is certaine they do not so acknowledge them neither by that practise nor by any other way it being the constant Opinion and perswasion of them all Elias only excepted that they are of a divine extract And if their Authority be to be urged it is to be submitted unto in one thing as well as in another 2 The Jews give a threefold account of this practise First the difficulty of Transcribing Copies without any failing the least rendring the whole book as to its use in their Synagogues profane 2 The liberty they have thereby to draw out various Senses more eminent as they say indeed more vaine and curious then they have any advantage to doe when the reading is restrained to one certaine sense by the vowels and accents 3 To keep all Learners in dependance on their Teachers seeing they cannot learn the mind of God but by their Exposition Rab Azarias lib. Jmre Bina cap. 59. If these Reasons satisfie not any as to the ground of that practise they may be pleased to enquire of them for others who intend to be bound by their Authority That the Points were invented by some late Massorites they will not informe them For Jesuiticall stories out of China they are with me for the most part of the like credit with those of the Jews in their Talmud He that can believe all the miracles that they worke where men are not warned of their jugling may credit them in other things However as I said I do not understand this Argument the Jews keep a book in their Synagogues without points therefore the points and accents were invented by the Tiberian Massorites when they never read it or rather sing it but according to every point and accent in ordinary use Indeed the whole profound mystery of this businesse seems to be this that none be admitted to read or sing the Law in their Synagogues untill he be so perfect in it as to be able to observe exactly all points and Accents in a book wherein there are none of them Sect. 6. 3. The testimony of Elias Levita not only as to his own judgment but also as to what he mentions from Aben Ezra and others is insisted on They affirme saith he that we have received the whole Punctation from the Tiberian Massorites An. It is very true that Elias was of that judgment and it may well be supposed that if that Opinion had not fallen into his mind the world had been little acquainted with it at this day That by receiving of the punctation from the Tiberians the Continuation of it in their School not the invention of it is intended by Aben Ezra is beyond all exception evinced by Buxtorfius De Punct Antiq. p. 1. cap. 3. Nor can any thing be spoken more directly to the contrary of what is intended than that which is urged in the Prolegomena from Aben Ezra comment in Exod. 25. 31. where he affirmes that he saw some books examind in all the letters and the whole punctation by the wise men of Tiberias namely to try whether it were done exactly according to the patterns they had Besides all Elias Arguments are notably answered by Rabbi Azarias whose Answers are repeated by Joseph de Voysin in his most learned observations on the Proemium of the Pugio fidei pag. 91. 92. And the same Azarias shews the consistency of the various opinions that were among the Jews about the vowels ascribing them as to their virtue and force to Moses or God on mount
Jewes The uncontradicted reception of them absolutely without the least Opposition all the world over by Jewes and Christians the very nature of the punctation it selfe following the Genius of the language not arising or flowing from any Artificiall Rules the impossibility of assigning any Authour to it since the dayes of Ezra but only by such loose conjectures and imaginations as ought not to be admitted to any plea and place in this weighty Cause All attended with that great uncertainty which without their owning of these points to be of divine Originall we shall be left unto in all Translations and expositions of the Scripture It is true whilest the Hebrew language was the Vulgar tongue of the nation and was spoken by every one uniformely every where It had been possible that upon a supposition that there were no points men without infallible guidance and direction might possibly affix notes and figures which might with some exactnesse answer the Common pronuntiation of the Language and so consequently exhibit the true and proper sense and meaning of the words themselves But when there had been an interruption of a 1000 yeares in the Vulgar use of the language it being preserved pure only in one Booke to suppose that the true and exact proauntiation of every letter tittle and syllable was preserved alive by or all Tradition not written any where not Commonly spoken by any is to build Townes and Castles of imaginations which may be as easily cast downe as they are erected Yet unlesse this be supposed which with no Colour of reason can be supposed which is yet so by Capellus and the learned Authour of the Prolegomena it must be granted that the great Rule of all present Translations expositions and Comments that have been made in the Church of God for some 100 d. of yeares is the Arbitrary invention of some few Jewes living in an obscure Corner of the world under the Curse of God in their unbeliefe and blindnesse The only Reliefe in the Prolegomena against this amazing inference is as was said that the Massorites affixed not the present punctation arbitrarily so also Capellus but according to the Tradition they had received What weight is to be laid upon such a Tradition for neere a Thousand yeares above according to Morinus is easily to be imagined Nor let men please themselves with the pretended facility of learning the Hebrew language without Points and Accents and not only the language but the true proper reading and distinction of it in the Bible Let the Points and Accents be wholy removed and all Apprehensions of the sense arising by the restraint and distinction of the words as now pointed and then turne in the drove of the Learned Criticks of this Age upon the noted Consonants and we shall quickly see what wofull worke yea Havocke of sacred Truth will be made amongst them Were they shut up in severall Cells I should scarcely expect the Harmony agreement amongst thē which is fabulously reported to have been in the like case among the 70. The Jewes say that truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can lift up his tongue to read without punctation And si rationi in his similibus dominium concedamus toti mutabuntur libri in literis vocibus sententiis sic res ipsa quoque mutabitur lib. Cosri 1. Par. 3. pag. 28. And thus have I with all possible brevity vindicated the position formerly insisted on from this grand exception which might be justly feared from the principles laid downe in the Prolegomena CHAP. VI. 1 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Their nature and Originall The difference is in the Consonants 3. Morinus vaine Charge on Arias Montanus 4. The senses of both Consistent 5. Of the great Congregation The spring and rise of these various Readings 6. The judgment of the Prolegomena about them their order twise over in the Appendix 7. The rise assigned to them 8. Considerd 9. Of Capellus his Opinion and the danger of it Sect. 1. VVE are not as yet come to a Close There is another thing agitated in these Prolegomena and represented in the Appendix that may seeme to derogate from the Universality of my Assertion concerning the entire preservation of the Originall Copies of the Scripture The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the seriptio and lectio or scriptum and lectum is that which I intend The generall nature of these things is knowne to all them that have looked into the Bible One word is placed in the line and another in the margin the Word in the line having not the Points or Vowels affixed to it that are its owne but those that belong to the Word in the Margin Of this sort there are in the Bible 840 or thereabouts for some of the late Editions by mistake or oversight doe differ in the precise number All men that have wrote any Considerations on the Hebrew Text have spoken of their nature in General So hath the Authour of these Prolegomena As to our present Concernment namely to manifest that from them no Argument can tye us to the corruption of the Originall the ensuing Observation concerning them may suffice Sect. 2 1. All the difference in these words is in the Consonants not at all in the Vowels The Word in the margin ownes the Vowels in the line as proper to it and the Vowels in the line seeme to be placed to the Word whereunto they doe not belong because there is no other meet place for them in the line where they are to be continued as belonging to the Integrity of the Scripture Sect. 3. Morinus to manifest his rage against the Hebrew Text takes from hence Occasion to quarrell with Arias Montanus and to accuse him of ignorance and false dealing De Heb. Text. sincer Excer 1. cap. 4. pag. 40. The pretence of his quarrell he makes to be that Arias affirmes the greatest part of these Various lections to consist in some differences of the points for which purpose he cites his words out of his preface to his Collection of Various lections Maxima in his lectionibus Varietatis pars in hujusmodi punctorum discrepantia Consistit ut toto hujus Mazzoreth sive variarum lectionum volumine demonstratur Whereunto he subjoines mira assertio ne una quidem in punctis sita est Catalogum plurimorum ipse ad finem praefationis adtexuit Et Varietates omnes sunt in literis nulla in punctis Confidentius scribo omnium variarum lectionum quas Judaei appellant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keri Ketib de quibus agit Arias nulla prorsus ad puncta pertinet Iterū confidentius c. Would not any man think but that the man had made here some great discovery both as to the nature of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also to the ignorance of Arias whom he goes on to reproach as a Person unacquainted with the Massora and with the Various lections of Ben-Asher and Ben-Nepthali