Temporalities and it seems the Patriarchs of the Maronites would imitate the Apostles when they said to their Disciples 'T is not good to leave the Word of God to serve at Tables wherefore they discharged themselves of all Temporal Affairs and left them to the management of the Deacons they chose for that purpose This was the occasion of the establishment of the Deacons and the Maronites seem to have retained this Apostolic Discipline for their Patriarch applys himself solely to Spiritual things They give to these two Deacons the Quality of Lords for to distinguish them from the ordinary Deacons that officiate at the Altars and we ought rather to call the former Governors or Administrators of the Temporalities than Deacons I believe the Author has made use of the word Deacon for that the Syriack and Arabick words which the Maronites make use of to express the Name of that Charge signifie Deacons and Administrators However it be certain it is that these Deacons have had formerly the administration of the Temporalities and that that Charge render'd them very considerable but they grew insolent so that the Church was obliged to make Canons to moderate them There is no such thing to be seen in the Deacons of Mount Libanus although they have more Authority than the Deacons of the Church formerly had Remarks upon the Eleventh Chapter I Have somewhat to say concerning the Original of the Maronites which the Abbot would have to be derived from the Abbot Maron he follows in that the common Opinion of the Maronites for in the Preface they have prefix'd to their Caldeck Mass printed at Rome they pretend they have had their Name from St. Maron whose Life Theodoret has written and for to confirm it they cite an Epistle of St. Chrysostom to the same Maron which he wrote unto him during his Exile and they add that the Monastery which bore afterwards the Name of St. Maron was very considerable at the beginning of the Sixth Century since Alexander Abbot of St. Maron was the first that subscribed the Letter which the Archimandrites or Abbots of Syria wrote to Pope Hormisdas Gabriel Sconita and John Hestonita Maronites in a little Treatise they composed touching the Manners and Religion of the Levantines are also of the same Opinion yet without rejecting the Sentiments of them who believe that the Name of Maronite came of a certain Country in Mount Libanus called Maronia but they cannot endure to be made descended from the heretical Maron and do maintain that there was never any such of that Name I will add to their Sentiments that which Abraham Ecchelensis saith to wit that St. Maron gave first the Name to all the Monks of the second Syria and that after the Council of Calcedon all the Syrians who defended the Decrees of that Council against the Eutichians Dioscorians and Aciphales were called Maronites but this hinders not F. Morin to whom he writ to follow a contrary Opinion which is supported with the Testimony of William de Syr who reports but what he hath seen himself and what passed in his time The Maronites then according to that History extract their Original from a certain Heretick named Maron After they had been separated from the Roman Church about Five hundred Years they made an Abjuration of their Heresie in the hands of Aimeriek Patriarch of Antioch who lived in the time of William de Syr and was the third Latin Patriarch of that Church They were before Monothelites and acknowledg'd but one Will and one Operation in Jesus Christ James de Vitris Bishop of Accon in Syria and Marin Sanat are also of the same opinion touching the Maronites We may add to these Proofs the Authority of Eutychius Patriarch of Alexandria who spoke in his Annals of a certain Monk called Maron who lived in the time of the Emperor Maurice and who admitted in Jesus Christ but one Will and one Operation altho' he acknowledg'd in him two Natures Then he said that this Monk infected many persons with his Heresie and that those who followed his Opinion were called Maronites The same Author speaks often afterwards hereof in his Annals and makes mention of those who followed that Sect He affirms that the Emperor Heraclius was a Maronite and that he did many Kindnesses to those of that Belief He attributes moreover the Heresie of the Maronites to many Patriarchs of Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria and also to Pope Honorius Philip Mazerius in the Life he hath writ of Peter Thomas the Apostolic Nuncio in the Levant who died at Famagusta in 1366 treats of the Schisms of the Maronites of that Country the Author takes the Quality of Chancellor of the Kingdom of Cyprus upon him and he lived at the same time as he whose Life he wrote having accompanied him in part of his Travels Those Maronites of Cyprus persisted in the Errors of the Monothelites even to the Popedom of Eugenius the Fourth in 1445. Their Biship named Elie made Abjuration of them together with all the Nation between the Hands of Andrew Bishop of Coloss and sent a Person also to Rome who did the same in his name as F. Raynald reports at large in his Annals It remains now that we distinguish the Heresie of the Maronites from that of the Jacobites for that as an Italian Author observes they are a Sprout of the Jacobites In effect there is much appearance that the Monk Maron quitted the part of the Jacobites or Eutichaus for to render himself Chief of a Sect for we see that the Jacobites and Maronites have some Books common to both which however hinders not but that the Maronites having separated from the Jacobites have written diverse Books against them for to prove that there are two Natures in Jesus Christ 'T is no good Proof to say that the Maronites have not been Hereticks for that John Maron and others of their Writers have compos'd Books against the Jacobites Menophysites Acephales and Severians for they might have been Monothelites and condemn those Heresies whereof we have spoken Besides they have added many things to their Books since they have been totally united to the Church of Rome and it may be they have not only inserted therein the Condemnation of the Eutichyans but that also of the Monothelites and that conformable to the Orders of the Pope's Envoys to Mount Libanus who establish'd Persons to review the Books of the Maronites and to retrench in them all that might come near unto Heresie Notwithstanding all these Proofs I will willingly suspend my Judgment upon this Subject until I shall see in what manner Monsieur Fauste Nairon a learned Maronite Nephew to Abraham Ecchelensis and his Successor in the College of Sapience at Rome hath defended his Nation from the Heresies whereof they have been accused This learned Maronite hath composed a Book in Italian wherein he hath treated of the Original of the Maronites and related all that might contain their History I
what some say of that Version out of the Hebrew which they call simple for to distinguish it from the other for they falsly believe that that Translation hath been done in the time of Solomon and Hiram King of Tyre 't is an History which hath no more foundation than that of the Syriack Letters for Authors attribute these same also to Solomon Gregory Abulfarius makes mention of these two Versions and affirms that the Eastern Syrians make use of the first and the Western Syrians of both Hebed Jesu in his Catalogue of Caldee Books speaks of one Mar Aba who hath translated the Old Testament out of the Greek into Syriack but as the Syriack Church was in being long before this Mar Aba it had a Translation of the Bible into Syriack taken out of the Greek Translation of the Septuagint for the Church in the first Ages knew no other Bible but that of the Septuagint which seemed to have been alone esteemed Authentick in the Decrees of Councels and I know not why the Eastern Tyrians made use of a Version made different from the Hebrew Text since the Apostles themselves used the Septuagints and that the first Translations from the Hebrew different from that of the Seventy were rather for the use of particular Persons than any Church Moreover James of Nibise and St. Ephraim who preceded Mar Aba followed the Bible of the Septuagint besides that Version which they call simple for to distinguish it from that of the Seventy which doth not always follow the Text differs sometimes from the Hebrew for to accord with the Greek However it may be well seen that at first it was entirely conformable to the Hebrew but that with time it has been corrupted by Transcribers and particular Persons who have reformed it in some places by the Septuagint insomuch that that Version hath lost somewhat of its ancient simplicity through the different commixtures that hath been introduced thereunto There is also some appearance that the Hebrew Text from which that Syriack Translation hath been made was not altogether the same as that we have at this day as for the Syriack New Testament I do not doubt but that it may be very ancient yet the dialect wherein it is written is a sufficient proof according to my judgment for to shew that it is not an Original The Caldee that was spoken in Jerusalem in the time of our Saviour was not the Caldee Language of the New Testament and if St. Matthew writ his Gospel in that Language which they called also then the Hebrew as is very probable it cannot be said that 't is the same Syriack Gospel as we have at this day because of the difference of the Dialects Pope Gregory XIII caused a little prayer-Prayer-Book to be printed at Rome in the year 1585. for their use written in Arabick and Syriack Characters that Book contained some Prayers which bore the Title of Salutation and addressed to the Virgin Mary the Archangels Gabriel and Michael with some other things of the like nature whereunto were added the Penitential Psalms with the Litanies of the Saints But these Litanies that are in use in the Church of Rome have not been received by the Maronites of Mount Libanus unless it be very lately for that Gabriel Sionita hath left them out of his Copy which I have in my hands and 't is apparent that that fashion of Praying to Saints is not ordinary in the Eastern Churches They have also their particular Editions of Councels their Constitutions their Fathers and divers other Books nevertheless you must observe that they acknowledge but the first four General Councels that preceded their Schism I question also whether the Maronites have at any time had any particular Constitutions altho ' they procure some that bear that Name it may be that they have added that Title to a Book which they call at this day the Ecclesiastical Constitutions which a Learned Man of that Nation pretends to have been written before the Califf Omar rendered himself Master of Syria I cannot tell what foundation he has for to believe them to be so ancient if it be not that they are written in Syriack and that that Language according to his Sentiment began to grow out of use from the time of Omar They have been Translated into Arabic in 1059. by a Maronite Archbishop according to the relation of Abraham Ecchelensis and they treat of divers Matters in Theology principally of the Sacraments Proper Baptism is there distinguished from the Metaphorical or Confirmation is considered as the perfection of Baptism frequent Communion much recommended There is a long Treatise about the Ordination of Chantres Exorcists Readers Sub-deacons Deacons Priests and Bishops to whom it is prescrib'd to assemble before their Patriarch Moreover one may see there Rules for the Administration of the Temporalities of the Church for Tythes for Pious Legacies for Civil Affairs to wit for all things that regard Wills things in Trust Inheritances Donations Loans Restitutions and Purchases The same Constitutions regulate also the Services that ought to be performed towards the Dead their Burial and the Banquets they make for them therein besides are particular Statutes for Monks for the Schools and for the Books that were to be received into the Church Finally you may have Rules there for to make a distinction of Sins Murder Apostacy and Fornication are reckoned as the greatest The Author pretends in this Chapter that 't is a great happiness to the Christians of the Levant that they have not the use of printing because that prevents the errors of so many Sects to be commix'd with the Orthodox one may say as much of the impressions of Europe which have their commodities and incommodities for that ought to facilitate great changes both in Church and State If the Levantines lay aside the use of printing for these Reasons they are wiser than we in following that Maxim of Policy Non prosit potius siquid Obesse potest However the Turks permit the Jews to print at Constantinople Salonica and elsewhere but 't is upon condition that they print none but their own Books which is of no consequence He adds moreover that Manuscripts are more subject to changes than printed Books in effect that happens but too often and without having occasion to search elsewhere for examples the Maronites alone furnish us with enough for one can almost see no Manuscript-Books amongst them for Divine Service that are altogether alike and conformable to those printed at Rome for their use but some are larger other again contain less 'T is also worthy of observation that Morin who believed he had given us the Ordinations of the Maronites entirely hath printed but the lesser part which regards the Ministry of the Bishops for they are used to have two distinct Books one of which serves the Bishop who Ordains and the other the Minister who Answers him The first is properly the Book of Ordinations the other is
Chapter THE Author of this Relation is not exact enough in his Report of the Turks first of all there is but little appearance that they have taken all the Clocks of the Levant to make Artillery with them for that Metal whereof they are compos'd is not at all proper to make Cannon If they then depriv'd the Christians of their Obedience it was rather an Effect of their Policy than Oeconomy for that the sound of these Clocks might serve for a Signal for the execution of Revolts and to give the Alarm to all in a short time Neither is it true that the Men get up to the tops of the Minaretts or Steeples of the Turks for to supply the want of Clocks in crying 't is such an hour or such an hour of the day but the Author hath heard say that the Turks instead of Clocks are served with the Voices of Men for to give notice of Prayers from the top of the Moschs in effect this Officer crys with all his force three times from the top of the Minarett Allah Ecber that is God is Great then he continues to say for three times Esched en allah illah allah I testifie there is no other God but God then he says again three times Eschen en Mohammed resoul allah I witness that Mahomet is his Prophet He adds some other Articles as Hai allassalat God live by Prayer Hai alaphaleh Live to Salvation Allah Ecber God is Great L'allah illa allah There is no other God but God He says also at Noon and in the Evening and about an hour and a quarter after Sun-setting En allah ou Malaikto falouna ala el Nabi That God and his Angels bless the Prophet In the third place the Turks come but five times a day to Prayers as every-body knows 't is true that there be two other Prayers but they are voluntary the first of which we may call that of Supererogation since they are free to be at it or no is perform'd an hour and an half before Morning-prayer the other is done every Friday at Nine of the Clock but there are none but the Officers of the Mosch and some other Zealots that assist thereat In the fourth place the Author does not well use the Arabic words which the Turks pronounce aloud in their Moschs 't is easie to correct them by what I am about to say for they do not give to Mahomet the Quality of Companion of God but that of Resoul allah that is the Envoy of God Mahomet affects to take the Names which God gave Moses in the Old Testament and to our Lord in the New As to the Fashion the Turks observe at their Prayers I believe that they have taken them from the Jews for they wag their Heads very much in the reading of the Law in their Synagogues but the Mahometans go beyond them 'T is a pleasant thing to see the Turkish Children when they repeat in their Schools some Verses of the Alcoran especially when they pronounce the word Allah how they throw their Heads backwards and forwards I do not question but that all these Motions have their Reasons I believe they make use of 'em at least to hinder their sleeping during their Prayers which happens too often amongst us They say immediately in putting their Hands to their Ear Allah Ecber God is great and afterwards laying them across their Breast Rabbena lac Elmegd Lord to thee the Glory after that they prostrate themselves saying Allah Ecber God is great This last Action is doubtless an Adoration for that is the manner of adoring amongst the Eastern Nations and we have divers Examples hereof in the Old Testament 't is also the way of saluting Persons of great quality 't is used in respect to the Pope The three Estates harangue the King upon their Knees but as to Cardinals and Bishops they only kiss the Border of their Robes in doing of them reverence they are marks of a profound Respect which have been introduced into the Ceremonies of Religion wherefore we ought not to ridicule these Prostrations which the Turks use at their Prayers for we cannot be too humble in the presence of God I remember to have heard a Jew say that it was to be read in one of their Authors that the Reason which moved them to agitate their Heads at Prayers was for that Prayer is like unto a Flambeau that burns the Flames off which is in continual agitation and seems always to fly up but the more learned Jews say that this Custom is founded upon those words of David All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee As to the Greeks whom the Author speaks of in this Chapter it seems that they have been forced to use these sort of Movements for to divert the Jealousie of the Turks who would not be well satisfied to see them so well united with us As the Greeks are nourish'd up in that aversion for the Roman Church one ought not to be astonished if they contemn its Ceremonies and look upon them as Prophanations besides that the long and continual Disputes that have been between both Churches hath not a little contributed to entertain this Aversion in the mean time we ought not to attribute to all the Nation a Vice that regarâ—s none but a few false Zealots one need but consult for this purpose the oriental right bearing the Title of the Answers of the Patriarchs the matters in question are there propos'd and very judiciously decided The Author continues to render the Greeks odious in aggravating their ill conduct in the administration of Penance as if they deferred not to grant Absolution to the Penitent for the space of four or five-Years but through a Contempt they had of the Roman Church which obligeth every one in particular to communicate at least once a Year but we must render the Greeks Justice for they follow herein for the most part the usage of their Church which is very ancient If a new Right hath introduc'd a new Discipline into the Church of Rome ought we for that reason to condemn all those Churches which conform not themselves to this Discipline for that which is neither against the Faith nor good Manners ought to be indifferent It is the Duty also of an honest man and a good Christian to become conformable to the Manners and Discipline of them amongst whom he lives but 't is certain that the Greeks which are not latiniz'd follow yet to this day a good part of the ancient Discipline in the administration of Penance They have their penitential Books which regulate them and it is not their Caprice which makes them impose one Penance sooner than another but they follow their Canons herein There is nothing this day more common amongst them than to separate their Penitent from the Communion for a Year or two and sometimes more I see also no reason why the Author should charge the Greeks of Ignorance and Superstition because a
to reform Religion And 't is upon that Mission that their Belief is grounded insomuch that it is necessary they should make mention of it in their Profession of Faith Not but that they have regard to Moses our Lord and the other Prophets but as our Author observes Mahomet according to their sentiments is a greater Prophet than they for they hold him for the Envoy of God by way of Excellency and for the Comforter that is spoken of in the Gospel They believe that God hath sent from Heaven Sacred Books to divers Prophets and that he made use for that purpose of the Ministry of the Angel Gabriel that Moses received the Law in that manner David the Psalms Jesus the Son of Mary the Gospel and other Prophets other Books to the number of 104 but that since the descent of the Alcoran which was in coming down no less than 23 years these Books are no longer Authentick and so ought not to be followed as infallible Rules Besides the quality of Prophet which the Mahometans give to our Lord the Alcoran stiles him also Kalmet allah The word of God which nevertheless must not be understood as if they believed him to be that Word which is in God from all eternity but after the manner that the Jews call the Prophets the Word of God And 't is in that Sence that the Socinians expound the Gospel of St. John where our Lord is called the Word which they have assuredly taken from the Jews There is nevertheless a certain Sect of Mahometans which according to the Report of Abraham Ecchelensis a Maronite believe that Jesus Christ being the Word he ought to be God for that the Word is uncreated but there is a great deal of appearance that that uncreated Being which they attribute to our Lord in quality of the Word is no other thing but that same uncreated eternal Being which is attributed to their Alcoran in imitation of the Jews who say also that their Law was before the creation of the World which ought to be understood of the Ideas of God The Word of God is no other in that place according to the sence of the Mahometan Doctors but his Commandment and as our Lord was born without a Father in an extraordinary manner thus say they that he is the Word by way of excellency having no other Parent but that same Commandment of God who created the World out of nothing For the Mahometans believe also as well as we that Jesus Christ was born of a Virgin which nevertheless is no great Miracle in their eyes for they pretend to have amongst them divers Persons born in a Supernatural manner and as the Arabs are less knowing in Physick than Metaphysick they easily believe the Miraculous Births of these donatives of Heaven They have two sorts of Theology to wit Positive and Scholastick The Positive Theology is supported by the Alcoran and Tradition Instead of that the Scholastick Theology is grounded upon Reason There are amongst them Doctors that reject the last as new and invented by Man and pretend that it destroys the true Theology which ought to have no other Principle than the Word of God that is The Alcoran and Tradition but the wiser sort believe that the Scholastick Theology was produced with time as a necessary Evil and that 't is very useful for to refute new Heresies they call it Alam alcalam which signifies a Science of Words or Reasoning Thus Pocoke in the translating of Abul fagarius interprets Alam alcalam no otherwise than Scholastick Theology In effect their Theology is like unto that they learn in our Schools and draws its Original from the Arabs who have translated the Books of Aristotle into their Language and apply themselves solely to the Metaphysicks insomuch that the Latins are beholding to them at this day for all their more subtil Parts in their Philosophy and Scholastick Theology for the first Latin Translations of the Books of Aristotle came from the Book of Averroes which hath been translated into Latin and we have been also for some time without reading Aristotle in the Greek One ought not to be surprized that the Latins and Arabs handle their Theology in the same manner since they have extracted their method from the same Fountain there are nevertheless some Arabs who rather follow the method of Plato than Aristotle for that this last seems to them base and unworthy the Majesty of God For your better understanding you must know that there are two ways of speaking of the Attributes of God the one is drawn from Plato and the other from Aristotle the first is all divine and regards God but in himself the other all humane and considers God in respect to his Creatures St. Augustin hath follow'd the first manner of speaking of God St. Thomas on the contrary follow'd the second The Arabs are divided amongst themselves upon that point for the one will have the Essence of God to be so simple in it self that we cannot attribute unto him an Understanding a Will a Power nor any other Perfections and Attributes that are ordinarily given him 't is not that they say God knows not sees not and hath no Power but they believe that God doth all this by his Essence which is so simple that we ought not to observe any thing that may diminish the Idea of that Simplicity which comes to pass say they in giving Attributes to God for this word Attribute supposeth something upon which it falleth and whereof it may be affirmed Add moreover to this that they deny these Attributes to separate as far as possibly they can the Persons from the Trinity which the Christians place in God Others on the contrary pretend that these sort of Attributes are no way incompatible with the Divine Essence In a word they fall into the same Disputes as we do in regard to the Attributes and Perfections of God for there are some who distinguish these Attributes and also the Essence as do the Scotists and others who reject that distinction and support themselves with Reasons like unto them we read in the Books of the Thomists Moreover we acknowledge two sorts of Theologies one of which is called Negative for that in regard to many things we may conceive it denies they may be said of God and the other Affirmative for that it affirms of God all those things that include no Imperfections So the Arabs have both the one and the other Theology for there are some of them who say that God is not a Substance but that He is above Substance that He is not Power but that He is above Power In a word they place God above all that we can conceive or express by our Words This sort of Theology hath been in use since the first Ages of Christianity and is yet to this day much in esteem As to the Affirmative Theology there are amongst them a number of Sects which yet do not altogether accord and speak
cannot imagine what hinders the publication of that Work since it hath been finish'd three Years ago I know that divers Latin Authors whose Testimonies it were useless to rehearse pretend that the Maronites derive really their Original from that Abbot Maron of whom we have spoken but we may say that they too easily follow the Opinion of the Maronites without being willing to take pains to examine the thing in it self 'T is long since the Maronites have promis'd us the History of the pretended St. Maron whose Memory they so much celebrate it were to be wished that some learned Person amongst them would plainly exhibit that History whereof we have but little knowledge for perhaps they have added to the number of Saints the Heretical Saint Maron as the Nestorians and most part of other Sects honour to this day their Patriarchs The Nestorians honour Nestorius with the Title of Saint in their Prayers and Liturgies and make Imprecations against the Memory of Saint Cyril whom they consider as an Heretick The Jacobites do also the same thing in respect to divers of their Sectaries There is some appearance that it will not be long before we have the Works which the Maronites of Mount Libanus promise to publish in one of their Attestations which is printed at the end of the third Tome of the Perpetuity I wish nevertheless that before they write of their Liturgies that they first divest themselves of an Infinity of false Prejudices wherewith they are cumber'd and which hinder them to treat of that matter with exactness enough Moreover 't is to be observed that he that hath printed that Attestation of the Maronites hath done it under the name of the Maronites of Antioch altho' it hath been writ by them who inhabit Mount Libanus That which deceiv'd him was that the Patriarch which resides in the Monastery of Cannubin in Mount Libanus takes upon him the Quality of Patriarch of Antioch but he does not live at Antioch and I believe also that there is not at this time in that City any Church of Maronites Remarks upon the Twelfth Chapter 'T IS no extraordinary wonder to see that most part of the Maronite Priests can but only read and write there are but a very few knowing Persons in all the Levant for they have not the conveniency of Colleges as we have yet there are some of them skill'd in the Italian Besides the Jesuits have Schools in the Levant and particularly at Constantinople where they instruct Youth Cyrilli Lucar in a Letter which he writ from Constantinople to Witemberg pretends that that Ignorance is advantageous to the Levantines for says he they retain always their ancient Belief without Innovation Nevertheless the same Author in another Letter hugely reproves the Ignorance of the Priests and Bishops of the Eastern Churches out of a fear he testifies to have least the Establishment of the Jesuits at Constantinople introduce some Novelty in the East but however it be the Church of Rome is obliged to these Jesuits herein for that they have by that means prevented Calvinism to over spread the Levant Before that the Maâ—onites had a College at 〈◊〉 they were much more ignorant than they are at this juncture we have seen of them since that time three very knowing Persons at Paris who came out of this Seminary Altho' they have at this time amongst them divers Persons capable to Instruct the People yet they fail not to send them still Religious Missionaries to entertain them more in their Duty but the Ecclesiasticks of the Country bear them envy and often quarrel with them believing themselves to be more capable to preach and exercise other Functions than those sent unto them In effect it were to be wished there were no other that preached but the Natives for that 't is very difficult for the Europeans to speak and pronounce the Arabick Tongue well which is the reason that the People cannot forbear laughing when they hear these Preachers speak so far are they from giving them Audience And I have heard not long since that a Deacon of Nount Libanus should say That these Missionaries did them much harm for that they accused them at their return of divers Errors whereof they had no foundation and that only for to be continued in their Mission As to the Caldean Tongue 't is true that 't is the same amongst them at this day as the Latin is amongst us Since Omar rendered himself Master of Syria at the beginning of the seventh Century the Arabick Language introduced it self by little and little into the Country and as the Arabs commanded and held the principal Offices there they obliged the People to conform themselves to their Language However the Caldee hath always been conserved in the Church and the most knowing writ still in that Language after Omar for a long time nevertheless you must observe that the Language which the Ancients calls Caldee is ordinarily called Syriack which most part of Grammarians distinguish from the Arabick Caldee as two different Dialects but the Maronites whom our Author has followed call sometimes their Language the Caldee In effect that which we call Syriack differs not almost from the Caldee but the Characters 't is true that it hath many Dialects but all these Dialects make but one Language 'T is very ancient and some pretend that it was the Language of our first Parents That which might support this Opinion is That there is no other Language that appears so simple in its expressions nevertheless there is greater appearance that 't is a corruption of the Hebrew as the Italian is of the Latin and that in process of time it appropriated to it self divers Greek words and the words also of other Languages It has a particular Character which is but a corruption of the Hebrew Character wherefore 't is needless to search as many have done who it was that first invented the Syriack Letters They differ also from one another in their Characters as the French vary from the Italians in the manner of writing their Letters The Jacobites and the Maronites have the same Letters and they are such as we see in their printed Books The Nestorian Caldeans which are dispersed in many places of the Levant have different Characters from those of the Maronites and 't is by that we may easily know the Manuscripts of the different Caldean Sects altho' these Characters differ no more one from another than the writing of a French Man and an Italian We have no room here to speak of all the Books which are written in Caldee we will observe only such as are in use at this day amongst the Maronites that we may not digress too far from the design of our Author They have in the first place two sorts of Syriack Translations of the Old Testament one of which is done out of the Hebrew and the other out of the Greek of the Septuagint however we must not give credit to