Christ the Sins which were committed before his coming and which he bore by his patience and that God hath declared in the Gospel how much he loves Justice since he has pardoned Sinners after that his Son their Surety had expiated their Crimes and has even pardoned those which sinn'd before his coming It was objected to Mr. Alting that the sense he gave to the term Paresis was unknown to all Greece He answers to this it is the Custom with the Writers of the New Testament to give Hebrew Significations to Greek Words and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hegnebbir of the Hebrews nor is it strange that St. Paul has taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Transport To confirm his Opinion the Author brings many Examples of a very extraordinary Signification of the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which answering to that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chi In Hebrew is employed for although in the following passages Iohn 4.44 Two days after Iesus returned into Galilee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altho' Iesus had testified himself that no Prophet would be well received in his own Country Rom. 5.7 One would scarce die for a just Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altho' for a good Man some wou'd even dare to die There are infinite Examples of these Hebraisms Thus the passage of St. Iohn 8.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which has given so much trouble to the Interpreters is a phrase of the Rabbins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lebitchilla tascher ani omer Lachem I am really what I tell you The same Apostle doth not commonly take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a Greek sense but in a signification which the Rabbins give to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beparhesia which signifies Publickly 50 27 42 44 52. In the 45.50 Mr. Alting proves the necessity of studying the Hebrew Tongue against a Professor who durst maintain in his Publick Lessons that that Tongue was not necessary for Ministers nor for Students in Divinity because St. Augustine and all the Doctors of his time were ignorant of it except St. Ierome who drew upon himself the hatred of all his Contemporaries The same Author writing against the Jew Athias p. 4. according to the citation of Mr. Alting Libros veteris Testamenti partem Bibliorum inutilem dixit potiorem vero sanctiorem novi Testamenti libros that is the Books of the Old Testament are the unprofitable Part of the Bible but that those of the New Testament are the most holy and most considerable Mr. Perizonius designing to refute Spinosa consulted Mr. Alting upon some difficulties which our Professor resolves in his 59. and 50. The first relates to the Authors of the Canon of the Old Testament and 't is asked whether it was Esdras Mr. Alting saith That 't is commonly believed upon the Testimony of Buxtorf who assures us in his Tyberiade That the Members of the great Synagogue assembled to bring into one Body the Canonical Books and that Esdras presided in that Assembly and that the three last Prophets were there accompanied with Mordocheus But Gans David remarks that Simeon the Just who is said to have been the last of the Assembly of this great Synagogue lived eight Generations after Ioshuah Son to Iosadack Add to this that there is no likelyhood that Malachy was Contemporary with Esdras since he doth not speak of the rebuilding of the Temple nor return of the Iews and that he chiefly sticks to reprehend the Priests who corrupted the Law by their Interpretations So that this Prophet seems to have lived about the time of Hillel when the Sect of the Pharisees began to flourish and their Traditions to be in Vogue Parker has remarked that the Fathers of the Church pass'd for Apostolical Traditions customs established by long use whereof the first Author was not known and to which they had a mind to give some Authority The same Remark may be made concerning the Iews There were amongst them Institutions whereof the Authors were uncertain which they attributed to the Members of the great Synagogue and made them come from inspired Men which were but Traditions of the Pharisees The Members of the Synagogue never lived in the same time nor in the same place and that consequently there never hath been such an one It is an invention of the Sticklers for Tradition to give some likelihood to their System The second difficulty regards the numbering of Iews who returned from Babylon to Ierusalem Esdras and Nehemiah agree in a Total Sum which was 42360. but when we our selves will muster up the number of each Family there will be only found 29818 in Esdras and 31089 in Nehemiah There is yet this thing remarkable that Nehemiah mentions 1765 Persons which are not in Esdras and that Esdras has 494 whereof Nehemiah doth not all speak The Difference that seems to make it impossible to reconcile these two Authors is what makes them agree for if you add the Over-plus of Esdras to the number of Nehemiah and the Surplus of Nehemiah to that of Esdras the same Number will come of them both Which being substracted from 42360 there remains 10777. which were not mentioned perhaps because they lost their Genealogical Books being of the Posterity of the Priests Chabaja Cotzi Barzillai or of the Israelites of the Ten Tribes In the sixtieth Letter our Author makes the History of the Canon of the Old Testament Moses saith he committed the keeping of his Books to the Levites Deut. 31.25 and the following and created them as 't were Doctors of the People Deut. xxxiii 10 And it seems that Malacby alludes to this charge Ch. 2. vers 4 5 6 7. Yet these Doctors did not much increase this Bibliotheque until the time of David The Prince assisted with some Prophets divided the Priests and Levites into divers Classes who were to serve by turns But this Order was the cause of a great confusion amongst the holy Levites whereof none took care but when his turn was come Thence proceeds the disorder which is remarked in the Collection of the Psalms David gave them to the Levites who were in their Week according as he composed them each Classis kept those which had been remitted to it In fine there was a Collection made joyning together what each Classis had received without having regard to the Order or time in which they were Written The same thing sometimes hapened in regard to the Sermons of the Prophets Habac. 2.2 which having been intrusted to divers Priests were gathered according to this Method and put into the number of the Sacred Books As in the time of Malachy they began to have too much esteem for Traditions and to attribute unto them an Authority which weakned that of the Sacred Writings this Prophet discover'd the Imposition of the Levites who gave way to these Traditions because it augmented their credit He prohibited for the future that any Writing whatever should be put
objected against him during his Life as has been sufficiently proved by the Apologies writ in his Defence Epiphanius was the first that ever spoke of it So that it is not altogether without reason Baronius hath conjectured that this Passage may have been added to St. Epiphanius Dr. Cave believes likewise that Epiphanius hath said enough on this occasion to make an Intelligent Reader apprehend that he ought not to give too easie a Faith to all that he hath related He saith he hath spoken many strange things of Origen which he himself did not believe to be true and that he thought good nevertheless to insert them among his Writings Besides those who have read but little of what he hath done saith our Author know how much his Faith was upheld by popular Reports and having testified so much Zeal and Anger against Origen he took care to omit nothing that might sully or lessen his Fame In fine the Relation we have had of Origen's Mutilation and the Noise that it made in the World would not permit his Enemies to offer him that Choice before mentioned 'T was in the 233 d Year of our Lord that Origen quitted Alexandria and retired into Palestine St. Epiphanius to confirm his Accusation saith That Origen being at Ierusalem and desired to preach he stood up and read these words of Psalm 50.16 And God said unto the Sinner why speakest thou of my Righteousness and takest my Covenant into thy Mouth That with great Sorrow he spoke these words and then shut up the Book and sat down covered with Shame and fell into a violent Passion of Tears That there might be nothing wanting to compleat his History he hath made a Recantation under Origen's Name where he confesses his Sin and testifies a lively Repentance for it but the Misfortune is that the Style of this piece does not agree with that of the Author whose name is affixed to it Origen having set up a School at Cesarea drew many Men thither to him and among others Gregory Thaumaturgus and Athenodorus his Brother who were afterwards Bishops in that See Firmilian Bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia a Person celebrated for his Virtue and Learning was also one of Origen's Admirers The 235 th Year Maximinus of Thrace succeeded Alexander Severus and with the utmost Severity treated the Christians who had some Rest in the time of his Predecessor This occasioned Origen to write his Book entitled An Exhortation to a Martyr which he dedicated to Ambrose and to the chief Presbyter of Cesarea who had then signaliz'd themselves by a Couragious Confession of the Christian Faith Origen at this time resided with a Lady of Quality called Iuliana who furnish'd him with Books and particularly with the Version of Symmachus and his other Works in favour of the Ebionites 'T was then that Origen took pains to collect the different Translations of the Old Testament which were publish'd before his time Whereof he made some Famous Editions entitled Tetraples Hectaples and Octaples which Dr. Cave explains in order as is his general Custom according to the Idea's of St. Epiphanius One may see in the second Tome of the Universal Bibliotheque Page 407. the Disposition of this Work according to the thought of Mr. de Valois and Mr. Vossius to the end that we may compare what these Gentlemen say thereof with the common Sentiment that Dr. Cave has follow'd after Father Petau Here is in short the common Order and Method of Origen's Works The Tetraples were four Columns which contain'd the Versions of Aquilas Symmachus the Septuagint and of Theodotion in the Hexaples there were more than two Colums where the Hebrew Text was in Judaick Characters and the same Text collateral to it in Greek Characters In the Octoples might also be seen after the six Colums whereof we are a coming to speak the fifth and sixth Edition which were found not long since one at Iericho the other at Nicopolis near to Actium It is evident saith Dr. Cave by what St. Jerom tells us thereof these two last Versions were not compleat but contain'd only some Books of the Old Testament and particularly the Prophets tho' we cannot determine whether it may be concluded from thence that the Hexaples and Octaples were only one Work under different Titles according to those parts to which the fifth and sixth Edition were added Besides this there was a seventh Edition but it contained only the Book of the Psalms and by consequence made no change in the name of the Work The Reader will more easily comprehend the Method of this Collection by a Copy which is here added to it and drawn from an Ancient Manuscript of the lesser Prophets out of the Bibliotheque of the Barbarines 'T is the first Verse of the eleventh Chapter of Hosea When Israel was a Child I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt To render this Work Fruitful Origen Remarks on the Version of the Septuagint that it contain'd either more or less than the Hebrew Text when there was something more he noted it thus †and when there was any thing Deficient he thus distinguished it * and if confirm'd by many Versions he added a Note which he call'd Lemniscus and when two only agreed he affix'd a Hypolemniscus This Work which was a Labour almost impossible to accomplish was begun at Cesarea and perfected at Tyre Nevertheless it seems that Origen made a second Voyage to Athens where he writ his Commentaries on Ezekiel and the Song of Songs He pass'd through Nicomedia where he met with his Friend Ambrose who was retired thither with his Family He there composed his Answer to Iulius Africanus touching the History of Susanna who had Fruitlesly endeavour'd to maintain it as a Truth Returning into the last he recover'd Beryl Bishop of Botsra in Arabia as Eusebius calls him from a new Opinion apparently destructive to the True Faith which he soon renounced that he might be better instructed and thank'd Origen for having disabused him Beryl believed that Iesus Christ before his Incarnation did not so exist that he had a distinct Essence which was only proper to him and that he had not a Divinity peculiarly his own but only that of his Father dwelling in him Origen did not apprehend this Opinion at first but after divers Conferences with Beryl and indeed it is difficult to understand what he meant according to the words of Eusebius when he comes to cite and translate him word for word from the Greek Dr. Cave thus expresseth it in English That our Lord before his Incarnation had no proper Substance nor personal Deity but only a derivative Divinity from his Father Mr. de Valois hath translated this Passage of Eusebius into Latin after this manner Servatorem antequam inter homines versaretur non substitisse in propriae personae differentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec propriam sed paternam duntaxat divinitatem in se residentem habere In
begins to apply his Rules for Criticism to the Books of the Bible and proves by them that Moses was really the Author of the Pentateuch since 't is Established by Holy Scripture by the Authority of Iesus Christ by the consent of all Nations and by the Authentick Testimonies of the most Ancient Authors It is necessary to observe that this Dissertation upon the Bible and all the rest of the Book is disposed in such order that each Article contains a following Discourse where he only proposes his opinion and maintains it by some Reasons which all the World agrees to After that is the Notes that include the Proofs and Authorities of what has been advanced in the precedent Article Following this Method the Author to prove that Moses writ the Books that bear his Name Cites in the Notes many passages of the Old and New Testament He says that the Samaritan Pentateuch being writ in ancient Hebrew Characters must necessarily be composed before the Captivity of Babylon where the use of these Characters were lost He relates the Testimonies of Manethon Philocorus Atheneus and other ancient Authors that Iosephus and the Primitive Christians have preserved some passages of to which he adds other Authors of a latter date and whose Works still remain amongst us as St. Strabo the Abridgment of Trogue-Pompeus Iuvenal Pliny Tacitus Longinus Porphirius Iulian c. And from this universal Consent he draws an invincible Argument to prove that Moses writ the Law and that he was the Law-giver of the Iews In the Notes he Answers Eleven Objections which seem to be drawn from the Critical History upon the Old Testament and the Sentiments of some Dutch Divines upon this Book which contains the Reasons of those who pretend that the Pentateuch is a Collection made upon the ancient Memoirs and Writings of Moses but compiled by some other In short he maintains that when they wou'd suppose that the reasons that are alledg'd against the Antiquity of the Pentateuch are all unanswerable they shou'd prove only that there is some Names of Towns or Countries changed some little words inserted to clear Difficulties and in fine that the Narration of the Death of Moses was necessary to be added to finish the History of the Pentateuch We have not the same certainty according to M. Du Pin in respect to the rest of the Historical Books since we are absolutely ignorant of the Authors of ' em The Judgment that he gives of the Book of Iob is that the Foundation of Narration is true But that the manner how this History is related the Stile that it is writ in the Discourses that were held between Iob and his Friends and what is said of his mean condition must be confest to have been much amplifyed and adorned with many feigned Circumstances to render the Narration more agreeable and useful For the Book of Wisdom which is commonly attributed to Solomon he thinks it to be composed by a Grecian that was a Jew who to imitate the Books of Solomon had taken many thoughts from thence In respect to the Book of Ecclesiasticus some have imagin'd that Iosephus acknowledg'd it to be Canonical because he cites a passage out of it in his Second Book against Appion But according to the observation of Mr. Pithou this allegation which is not in the ancient Version of Ruffinus was added to the Text of Iosephus * The Book of Esther was according to some in the Iews Canon but others deny it s ever being there Meliton rejects it and the Six last Chapters of this Book are not in the Hebrew Origen believed they were formerly and that they have since been lost But it is evident they are taken from many places says our Author and that they contain such things as were apparently Collated by some Greeks that were Iews St. Ierom formally rejects the Book of Baruck and denies its being Canonical in his Preface upon Ieremiah The Story of Tobias also is not in any ancient Catalogue placed in the Rank of Canonical Books no more than that of Iudith In a word the ancient Christians followed the Canon of the Iews for the Books of the Old Testament there is none else cited in the New and a great part of these are very often mentioned The first Catalogues of Canonical Books made by the Greek and Latin Ecclesiastick Authors comprehended none but these In the Chronicle of Eusebius the Books of the Maccabees are opposed to those of Holy Writ and placed with Iosephus and Africanus The Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are in the ancient Catalogues placed in the number of such Books as are most useful Except Canonical Nothing can be concluded in favour of their Divinity from any passages of the Fathers since Origen St. Ierom and St. Hillary place them in the number of Apocryphal Books Even from the time of St. Gregory the Great these Books were not in the Canon of the Holy Scripture since this Pope speaks in those terms We do nothing unreasonable in bringing the Testimony of such Books as are not Canonical since they were publisht for the Edification of the Church Many Ecclesiastical Authors both Greek and Latin agree only upon 22 Canonical Books joyning the History of Ruth to the Iudges and the Lamentation of Ieremiah to his Prophesies altho' they lived after the Third Council of Carthage and Innocent the First who placed the Maccabees and other Apocryphal Books in the Canon of Holy Writ Which shews adds the Author that these Definitions were not approved by all Authors nor followed by all Churches until it was intirely determined by the Council of Trent This Ecclesiastical Assembly has this common with others That the last Decrees do still abolish the preceeding ones Besides it is just that the Church of Rome who hath power to make new Articles of Faith should also have power to make those Books Canonical whence they take these new Articles III. In the Third Article of this Dissertation where there is the History of the Hebrew Text the Version of the 70 and other Greek Translators the History of Aristeus is refuted almost by the reasons that are mentioned in the Extract of Mr. Hodi Nevertheless he believes not that it can be absolutely denyed that there had been a Greek Version of the Bible made in the times of Ptolomy Philadelphus because there 's no likelyhood that the Authors of Books attributed to Aristeus and Aristobulus have wholly invented this mater But he rejects as a conjecture without any Ground the Opinion of Father Simon viz. That this Version was called the Version of the Seventy because it was approved by the Sanhedrin He also maintains against the common receiv'd opinion of the Learned that the Caldaick Language was not the only Language spoke by all the Iews at their return from the Babylonish Captivity but that many amongst them did then speak Hebrew and all of 'em understood it but that
division without excepting even the Spaniards altho' he has been pretty bountiful to them What he says of the Manners and Wit of the Chinese is admirable they keep no Memoirs of their Warlike Princes and reserve their Elogies for the Peace Makers and Righteous They never delighted in Conquests unless the desire of living under so wise a Government invited by their Neighbours to submit but they constrained none being only concerned if men who wanted this happiness refused to participate with them They acknowledge none as Gentlemen but Men of Learning t is derogatory amongst them and reduces them into a Plebean state to forsake this profession The Counsellors and Favorites of the Prince are all Philosophers and when he commits a fault they reprehend him with so much Liberty and Freedom that the Prophets took not more in respect to the Kings of Iudah If they don't make use of this Priviledge the People censure them and look upon 'em as weak Men and degenerate from the Courage of Confutius and other Philosophers who have retired from the Court in a time of Tyranny They reproach them to their face with Cowardise and say that they are neither Philosophers nor Men of honour since for their own private Interests they abandon the good of the Publick As for their Wit Mr. Vossius believes they surpass all the World and that after having learnt from 'em the Compass Printing and many other admirable things he doubts not but there remains much finer Inventions amongst 'em than we have borrowed of 'em He tells us wonderful things of their skill in Physick and above all their Art in knowing the Diseases by the differences of the Pulse They are so admirable in that respect that they look not upon a Man to be a good Physitian if after having felt divers places of the sick persons Arm he does not without asking Questions discover from what part of the Body the Distemper proceeds as well as the nature of it 'T is very pleasant to read all the curious things that Mr. Vossius has related upon this subject and upon the Ability of this Nation in all the noble Arts. He pretends that they made use of Powder and Cannons many Ages before the Europeans were acquainted with them and adds to it the Original and Progress of Powder amongst the people of Europe The other Pieces which compose Mr. Vossius's Works are not less worthy of particular observation but having been long upon this there 's a necessity of being brief upon what follows 1. He treats upon the Constructions of Galleys very learnedly 2. On the Reformation of Longitudes The Author maintains that the observations of Eclipses have more confounded this matter than any thing whatsoever because they have not sufficiently regarded either Refractions or Shadows He corrects many errors that concern the extent of the Mediterranean Sea which has been render'd much less than really it is he shews also that the like faults have been committed upon many Eastern parts of Asia and says that the dispute betwixt the Portuguese and Spaniards touching the Division of the New World has produced strange Alterations both in Longitudes and Geography 3. He speaks of Navigation into the Indies and Iapan by the North this Treatise contains many curious and useful observations 4. He examines the cause of the Circles which appear sometimes about the Moon Upon which he has some thoughts perfectly new for he believes these Circles proceed from the Mountains in the Moon because they produce their Images reverst in the Air that is under them which he maintains by some experiments Amongst others he relates this that some English Merchants being on the Pick of Tenariff observed that as soon as the Sun arose the shadow of this high Mountain convered not only all the Isle of Teneriff but also the great Canarie and all the Sea even unto the Horizon where the top of the Pick seem'd to appear reverst which sent back its shadow into the Air. He tells us a very surprizing thing viz. that the shadow of this Mountain extended as far as the Levant to the place even from whence the Light came since the great Canarie which is at the East of this Pick is covered with the shadow What he adds concerning the Sea between this Mountain and the grand Canaries is very remarkable for he says it appears not larger than the Thames although there is fourteen Leagues between these two Isles 5. He treats of the fall of heavy Bodies and explains it according to the Cartesians by the Diurnal Motion of the Earth upon its Center but establishes a Principle unknown to Mr. Des Cartes viz. That a Body which is moved Circularly approaches nearer to the Center than is possible when its Axis is perpendicular to the Horizon But if its Axis is parallel to the Horizon then it is removed from the Center as far as 't is possible He relates an Experiment that he says was made some times agoe and which is quite contrary to Mr. Hugens's given us by Mr. Rohault for whereas Mr. Hugens says that the Particles of Spanish Wax dipp'd in a Vessel full of Water which is turn'd upon a Pirot are removed farther from the Center and soon arrive to the extremities of the Vessel Mr. Vossius has found out that Balls of Leed and Iron thrown into a Vessel of Water which is moved circularly tend towards the Center of the Vessel whereas Bowls of Wood which float upon the Surface of the Water make towards the sides of it The rest of the Book is a Treatise upon the Oracles of the Sybils which Mr. Vossius published in the Year 1672. There 's also the Answer that he made sometime after to the Objections of Mr. Simon scatter'd throughout his Critical History of the Old Testament and a Reply to that part of the Discourse which concerns him in Father Simons's Disquisitiones Criticae de varâ—s Bibliorum Editionibus Historia Plantarum c. Or Ray's History of Plants Tom. 1st London 1686. SInce Baubin published his History of Plants and Parkinson his Botanick Theater a great Number of Plants have been discoved that appeared not in their Collection Several Authors have described many that were unknown to the Botanists that liv'd before them But no one yet has ever gathered them together in one Piece like our present Author who has also used much more Method than has yet been observed on the same Subject He divides Plants into Genders and Kinds and gives an account of those that resemble them in their principal parts as in their Flower Seed and Films which cover them He thinks this Method is the most Natural and easie to attain in a little time to the knowledg of Botanicks and doubts not but any one that will apply himself to this study may without the help of a Master by following these Rules to accomplish it and be well acquainted with Plants If any Plant shou'd be found which comes not under these
manner we receive from God by Creation but only that which we receive from him by vertue of our Redemption But that is only a dispute of words St. Augustin denied moreover that men were born in any other state than in an absolute and unavoidable determination of doing ill and said it was impossible for them to do any good without an immediate assistance from God which he gave but to some men and that those who had this aid were unavoidably carried to good Thus although he admitted of free-will he gave to these words a new sense seeing liberty according to him is no other than a simple Spontaneity and includes not the power of not doing what we do The difference only that was between St. Augustin and Pelagius is that the first believed that since the sin of Adam his Posterity had been so much corrupted that they came into the World with inclinations to evil which necessitated them to it that if God had design'd them to Salvation it was necessary that in every good action he assisted them with his particular Grace that would unavoidably carry them to good and that those he was not willing to give Grace unto were damned God by a Wisdom that we comprehend not design'd that Mankind should be born in an unavoidable necessity of offending him and to be after that tormented by eternal punishments without delivering from this sad necessity but a very small number of persons to whom he gives an invincible Grace St. Augustin believed that that was rendering to God the Glory that is due to him Pelagius on the contrary thought God had not permitted the sin of Adam to make so great a disorder in the World that those who were descended from him were not in a necessity of obeying or not obeying the Law of God which hath given to them the power of avoiding evil and doing good so that it was but by their fault alone that they were damned not being compell'd to crimes and everlasting unhappinesses by an unavoidable necessity Having received of God the Free-Will it was not needful that God intervened in each action To be able to do good saith Pelagius cometh from God which hath given it to his Creature but to be willing to do good and to be Vertuous depend upon man The second Grace that Pelagius acknowledged is the remission of past sins which God granteth to those that leave them off Pelagius anathematised in the Council of Diospolis whosoever should dare to say that God had any regard on this occasion to merit St. Augustin complaining that Pelagius contenting himself to acknowledge that God forgiveth us graciously our past sins granted not that he aideth us in the non-commission for the future But Pelagius maintained that this pardon served us as well for the future to carry us to our duty because we cannot apply our selves to serve God after having offended him but in the persuasion that he will pardon us what 's past graciously He said likewise that afterwards in respect of the sins that were committed in the very time of Repentance that is to say in the state of Regeneration they were forgiven us in consideration of our good works by which we also obtain'd glory And it is in this sense that he maintain'd Grace was given according to merits that is to say according to our good actions As Children before the use of Reason commit no sin so this Grace regardeth them not The third Grace according to Pelagius is the Law by which he understands the Preaching of the Gospel and the example of Jesus Christ that those who have lived under the old institution had not He said that this Grace was altogether necessary to live conformable to Christianity The fourth sort of Grace is an interiour illumination of our mind that Pelagius expressed in this wise I maintain that Grace consisteth not only in the Law but in the assistance of God c. But God aideth us by his Doctrine and by his Revelation in opening the Eyes of our Mind in shewing us things to come to hinder the present from making too dead an impression in discovering to us the Ambushes of the Devil in illuminating us by the divers and ineffable gifts of his Celestial Grace Doth it seem to you saith Pelagius that those that speak thus deny the Grace of God Do they not acknowledge rather the Free-Will and the Grace of God altogether St. Augustin accuseth Pelagius in this not for having simply denied Grace but for denying its necessity and for having said that God gave it not but to the end that Free Will should be the easier carried to good This Grace according to Pelagius produced not infallibly and by it self the will of doing well and good works but induced only to will more easily The fifth is the Grace of Baptism by which according to him although Children receive not the pardon of sins that they have not committed being according to Pelagius altogether innocent they enter into a better condition which consisteth in that they are thereby adopted by God and become Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven St. Augustin on the contrary affirm'd that Children being born sinners Baptism doth confer upon them the Remission of sins and sanctifieth them by a Grace that God hath applied thereto The sixth Grace finally consisteth according to Pelagius in eternal Life and in bestowing the Kingdom of Heaven He is accused of having distinguished these two things and of having said that without the Revelation of the Gospel Life Eternal could be obtained but that God did not give the Kingdom of Heaven but to those that were Baptized According to Pelagius this Grace was given as the effect of merit to wit that of a good Life It is hard to know wherein this distinction consisteth of Eternal Life and of the Kingdom of Heaven and to reconcile it with the accusation that was made against Pelagius that the Kingdom of Heaven was promised under the Old Testament St. Augustin said by this last Article was to be understood the legal covenant that it promised not Eternal Life but if that were all that was meant by the Books of the Old Testament it was true that it was promised tho' there was no mention made of the Kingdom of Heaven this phrase of the New Testament There never was a dispute more intricate than this because each of the parties finding themselves pressed by some ill consequence endeavour'd to save themselves by terms to which they gave a different sense from what they had in the mouth of the Adversaries The word Grace in that of Pelagius signifieth not the same thing as in that of the Bishop of Hippo and this latter gave the name of Liberty to a thing that was not commonly so called In short many men believe that if we take the pains to examine the principal words that have been made use of in this controversie and the Ideas that have been applied to 'em it will
upon each of his Works and what been said in general upon this occasion there remains now only three things which are much worth our notice He often cites supposititious Writings as if they had been acknowledged by all the World as may be observ'd by the Passage of St. Peters Sermon which hath been a little before related and by another of St. Pauls which seems to be taken from the Book of his Voyages upon which see Eusebius and St. Ierom. This may make People believe that the great Reading of this Learned Man had not refined his Judgment for in fine there is no need of being a great Scholar to perceive what he cites resembles not the Style of the Apostles neither is it conformable to their Principles It cannot be doubted but that they believed the God whom the Iews adored was the true God Creator of Heaven and Earth and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who testifies it himself Neither can the Iews be accused of having worship'd Angels Months and Moons with any manner of Probability and the reason which the Author of St. Peters Sermon brings for it is so ridiculous that it can impose upon no body who is not very willing to be deceived It is true that some Learned Men have otherwise expounded this Accusation which this Author makes against the Iews but it 's plain by the Sequel that he understood it more simply than they do Howbeit this Book being visibly supposititious Origen acted much more prudently than his Master seeing he had Heracleon a Valentinian to refute who drew Consequences against the Old Testament from these pretended words of St. Peter he begins thus It would be very proper to examine whether this Book was really St. Peters or if it were not wholly supposititious and if not if any thing was not added to it after which he shews that the Iews adored the Creator of the World But it was the Custom of several of the Ancients to make use of all sorts of Reasons and Books to perswade what they had a mind to If it was so in our time Men would be accused immediately of Simplicity or of Falshood but each Age hath its Customs However its certain that Rules of sound Sense have always been the same and it s not less true that great Learning does not render the Mind more just according to the famous Maxim of Heraclitus which Clement relates amongst his Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clement also used to interpret Scripture allegorically without rendering his Allegories probable as the Ancients commonly did We may see what Mr. Huet says of the Origin of Allegories in his Origeniana l. 2. c. 2. Qu. 14. But if what Clement saith be read carefully in the fifth Book of his Stromates where he treats of it more at large one may easily perceive that what induced him chiefly to believe the Scripture was full thereof was that the Egyptians and Greeks had accustomed themselves to hide the Secrets of their Philosophy under Emblems and Fables It is true that the Iews were fallen into this Opinion before the coming of Jesus Christ. It is true also that in the most distant times this Nation expressed it self not only by dark words but symbolick Actions as appears by divers places of the Old Testament Notwithstanding there is no Example by which it's apparent that the Sacred Authors were willing to hide the Tenets of the Jewish Religion but on the contrary they exposed them very clearly and simply There are but few places of the History of the beginning of the World which may be turned into an Allegory with any probability and those which may only regard some Circumstances which signifie nothing in respect to the Foundation of the History and belong in no wise to the Worship of God or good Manners or Tenets without which they could not serve God nor be honest Men according to the Law In the rest of all the History of the Hebrews nothing appears which in the least resembles an Allegory all is simple and easie to be apprehended which makes us believe that those who writ it were in no wise Allegorists and that if there was any thing in the most ancient Events of the History of Mankind which may be understood that way the Hebrews have followed this turn only because the Tradition or the Memorials which they copied after were thus express'd We do not see that they amused themselves with Philosophy or gave any opinions of Physicks either clearly or obscurely and the places where Philo strives to find Philosophical Tenets are wrested after so violent a manner that there is no Person who perceives not that the Sacred Authors never thought upon what he makes them to say Also if we reflect upon the origin of Allegories amongst the Pagans it will appear that they are but of a late date and when Philosophers would give a Reason for Fables or the ancient Histories of the Gods that is to say to save the Honour of their most ancient Historians who were accused of having absurd Ideas of Nature as Excellent as that of the Gods according to their Idea of it Therefore it was necessary to make those believe whom these scandalous Histories offended that the Poets thought quite another thing than what they said and thence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies quite another thing than what is meant and is what is properly call'd Allegory It may be found out by reading of three Works lately Printed at Amsterdam and where mention is made in the 7th Tome of the Universal Bibleothick p. 109. Thus Histories amongst the Grecians were turn'd into Allegories fearing it should be thought that the Gods of Greece were only corrupted Men. The Iews who never applied themselves to the study of Criticks and Philosophy were no sooner amongst the Grecians but they found this Method of Expounding Religion and used it to explain the Sacred Books after a manner more conformable to the Opinion of the Pagans as is plain by the Example of Philo who Expounds all the Old Testament like a Platonick They even so much alter'd the Text that they expounded allegorically not only the places which might have any difficulty but also the most clear and simple without excepting even those that concern Manners which being literally understood include excellent Directions for the conduct of Life nor the most simple Histories whence most useful Instructions may be drawn without searching any other sense but that which offers it self to the mind Philo is full of such Examples The Christians afterwards imitated the Jews and were not satisfied to interpret allegorically the Old Testament but did the like concerning the New although neither Jesus Christ nor the Apostles proposed no Doctrin after an emblematick Manner which they expounded not clearly enough themselves to take away the trouble of seeking for the Sense in having recourse to Allegories which have nothing plain in them For in fine it must be granted that according to this
and also brings some new Reasons to prove it but he denies that they were Esseans He will have them to be a sort of Jewish Philosophers who all applied themselves to Contemplation Reading of the Law and the Prophets and to Prayer He brings several Reasons thereof which may be seen in the Original Mr. Bruno undertakes in this Dissertation to refute Scaliger and Mr. Valois He maintains that the Contemplative Esseans who were near Alexandria were converted by St. Mark contrary to these two Learned Men and endeavors to shew that Mr. de Valois in particular was mistaken when he said that the Contemplatives were no◠Esseans As to this last Opinion we shall make no stay at it because it is particular to Mr. Valois and the Refutation can be read in Mr. Bruno in half a quarter of an hour He is of the Opinion that the Therapeutes of Philo were converted to Christianity 1. Because we find in the Lausiack History of Palladius a Description of a Place wherein the ancient Christian Monks of Alexandria kept themselves exactly like that which Philo gives of the Habitation of the Therapeutes and that there is no appearance that 200 Years after the time of Philo the Christian Monks could have driven the Jews from this Place seeing in that time the Iews were more powerful than they were in Egypt There is much more likelihood that St. Anthony and some other Solitaries of Thebes joined themselves to the Christians who before lived very austerely and introduced thereby the Rules for a Monastical Life a little time before Palladius lived 2. It being very certain that in the time of Iosephus there were three Sects amongst the Iews Pharisees Sadducees and Esseans and that these Sects were not immediately lost it 's very strange that from that time there should be no mention of the Esseans But the Wonder will cease according to Mr. Bruno if it be acknowledged that these Esseans embraced Christianity Scaliger following the Opinion of this Author proved that the Esseans remaining Esseans viz. Iews could not be Christians but hath not proved that they were not become so by abandoning Judaism He speaks more largely in the Refutation of Mr. de Valois This Learned Man said particularly that Philo observed that the Therapeutes had Writings from some ancient Authors of their Sect who interpreted the Law after an Allegorical manner which did not agree with Christians who then had no Ancient Author of their Sect. Mr. Bruno answers to that that they might have been some old Jewish Authors who since the time of the Ptolomy had expounded the Law allegorically and had thus rendred the Iews more proper to receive the Gospel than if they were kept only to the Letter of the Law Such were Eleazar and Aristobulus whereof Eusebius speaks in his Evangelical Preparation Book 8. c. 9. It may be that St. Mark sent the Essean Converts to these Books to convince themselves of the Truth of the Gospel by seeing the Law was expounded therein after a manner conformable to what he told them Mr. Bruno believes even that it was these Books that Jesus Christ had respect two when he said to the Iews Search the Scriptures they are they which speak of me Because to take Prophecies according to to the Letter of the Word it would not be easie to form a clear Idea of the Messia It was necessary that the Christians should be satisfied at that time with the Books of the ancient Iews seeing that under the Emperor Claudius the Books of the New Testament were not as yet published We shall say no more concerning the Dissertation of Mr. Bruno it is so short that those who have a mind to examin his Opinion may read it in less than an hour 3. Mr. Colomie added to the end of this Volume a Collection of Fifty five Letters of divers Learned Men both of the past and present Age there are several which never were Printed and it is certain that those which have already appeared either are more correct in this Edition or such as were become so scarce that it was not easie to meet with them There is no Question treated on in these Letters but some Events of the Times are spoken of in which they were written or some Circumstance about the Life of these great Men or other Places which will divert those who love to be instructed in the least things which concern Manners or the Genius of those whom their Knowledge or their Employments have rendred Illustrious There is for Example a small Address of Father du Moulin in the Fifteenth Letter to Lancelot Andrews Bishop of Winton Father du Moulin writing to this Bishop calls Episcopacy a thing received since the Age which followed that of the Apostles Rem à saeculo Apostolis proximo receptam but as the Bishop reproached him with it he immediately writ à saeculo Apostolorum from the Age of the Apostles After that he blotted out the word Apostolorum and substituted those of Apostolis proximo yet so that what he writ at first might be read The Bishop suspects him to have made this Correction in favour of those who inclin'd to the Opinion of the Presbyterians and of having but half blotted the word which he at first writ to make People suspect that he was not a zealous Presbyterian seeing this word slipt from him before he was aware For the Letter otherwise is so short that it was easie to transcribe it which he undoubtedly had done to a Person of the quality of Bishop Andrews if he had not the design we observed All these Letters are short and there are a great number which were written by English men Amongst others the XLII Letter which is directed to Mr. Anthony de Dominis It 's Ioseph Hall who writes to him and testifies that he is very much scandalized through the Reports which ran then concerning this Arch-Bishop and which were found to be true afterwards It is that he would not quit England but to return into the Bosom of the Roman Church This Letter is very fine and worthy to be read although it had then no effect Some others will be found which are not less curious as the LI tho it treats ill enough of St. Augustin under the name of Traducianus A New Bibliothique of Ecclesiastical Authors Containing the History of their Lives the Catalogue Crisis and Chronology of their Works the sum of what they contain a Iudgment upon their Style and Doctrin with an Enumeration of the different Editions of their Works By Mr. Ellis Du Pin Doctor of the Faculty at Paris and Royal Professor in Philophy Tome Second of the Authors of the Fourth Age of the Church Octavo at Paris 1687. Pag. 1060. THE Design and Method of Mr. du Pin in this new Bibliotheque of Ecclesiastick Authors is very largely treated on in his first Tome an Abstract of which is to be found towards the latter end of this Book which
THE Young-Students-Library CONTAINING EXTRACTS and ABRIDGMENTS OF THE Most Valuable Books PRINTED In England and in the Forreign Journals FROM THE Year Sixty Five to This Time To which is Added A New Essay upon all sorts of Learning WHEREIN The USE of the SCIENCES Is Distinctly Treated on By the Athenian Society ALSO A Large ALPHABETICAL TABLE COMPREHENDING The CONTENTS of this Volume And of All The Athenian Mercuries and Supplements c. Printed in the YEAR 1691. LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry Where is to be had the Intire Sett of Athenian Gazettes and the Supplements to 'em for the Year 1691. bound up all together with the Alphabetical Table to the Whole Year or else in Separate Volumes Or single Mercuries to this Time 1692. behind ye. scenes sit mighty we nor are we known nor will we be the world and we exchanging thus while we find chat for y m they work for us dy' e see that lady in e y e mask wee 'l tell ye what she comes to ask tho an unconscionable task t is how her louer fast to bind false as her selfe false as y e faithless wind that other brings her fav'rite flea with golden fetters lock and key if t' has a sting our thoughts does craue or only a tongue as other females haue thinking our notions too ieiune some take their aime at madam moon some bring hard queryes which we crack and throw the gazeing world y e kernels back here 's honest tarr who woud his crown afford were he paid off'ere he returns aboard to know what he must ask in vain when we shall beat y e french again euclid where art tho 't was before despaird now maist thou haue thy circle squar'd but art is long and thou most stay nor Rome was built nor athens in a day we know s r but too well your case some powrfull fachon right or wrong embrace or starue and dye without a place auoid you rowt of noisy fools once more you are not in our rules could we but please y e learned few which send from far we coúd dispence w. you whither lost wretches whither woúd you run by guilt or by unhappy loue undon what need you perish or despair if you 'd haue aid an angel shows you where this querys quickly understood he only asks-dye think his coffee good yet woúd croud in tho iust by th' door or uówd heed take our letters in no more these dainty nútts j múst not loose nor búrn my paws-b your leaue dear puss jf those that pút em there enq 〈…〉 t' was you not j that robb'd y e fil how sweet is interlopers hire all englands rarityes are gath◠〈◊〉 from unknown earth fire waâ—◠〈◊〉 thoúsands agree in such a gloria 〈◊〉 or else a moments work wou'd 〈…〉 with beak and talons j infest those cúckoes that invade my 〈◊〉 and if minerva yet supply my antient gift in prophecy all scab'd and old they in some hollow tree shall dye London Printed For Iohn Dunton at ye. Raúen in ye. Poultrey THE Young-Students-Library CONTAINING EXTRACTS and ABRIDGMENTS OF THE Most Valuable Books PRINTED In England and in the Forreign Journals FROM THE Year Sixty Five to This Time To which is Added A New Essay upon all sorts of Learning WHEREIN The USE of the SCIENCES Is Distinctly Treated on By the Athenian Society ALSO A Large ALPHABETICAL TABLE COMPREHENDING The CONTENTS of this Volume And of All The Athenian Mercuries and Supplements c. Printed in the YEAR 1691. LONDON Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in the Poultry Where is to be had the Intire Sett of Athenian Gazettes and the Supplements to 'em for the Year 1691. bound up all together with the Alphabetical Table to the Whole Year or else in Separate Volumes Or single Mercuries to this Time 1692. THE PREFACE THE Learned Grotius tells us in p. 34. of his Epistles That the Athenians in their High Court forbad all Introductory Prefaces and Addresses because they hated Affected Ornaments and what was not to purpose in their Discourses VVe are as willing to follow 'em as possible and the Subject of this Book being Abstracts it wou'd be very disproportionable to make a Tedious Preface to it VVe shall only tell the Reader what he is to expect from this VVork and then leave it to its sate The Catalogue whereof it is compos'd was made by our Bookseller and a stranger to our Society and was publisht to the VVorld before we ever saw it or had the least notice of the Design The Collections being not over regular neither as to the sorting them nor which is worse as to the Subject Matter it self However the Design appeared so serviceable to the Age that Subscriptions came very plentifully in and the whole was put out to be Translated VVhen it came to be Revis'd by our Society and some of us had engag'd to VVrite the Essay and an Original Treatise on the Masore and punctuation of the Hebrew Text we found the VVork very dangerous and difficult especially in these particulars 1. Several things in Divinity were taken out of the Republick of Letters which pass'd through the hands of the French Divines and where there were such Doctrines laid down as we thought very unsafe to publish in a Protestant Nation where 't is impossible not to find some who are weak and unsetled in our Religion 2. Most of the Fathers that were promis'd had met with the same fate and were so much Iesuitiz'd that we knew no more of 'em but the Title the rest was what the Papal Interest was pleas'd to make 'em speak 3. There were several Titles of Books in our Booksellers Catalogue which were found in the Catalogues of the Universal Bibliotheque Journal des Scavans c. which those Authors themselves had barely set down and not made any Abstract of 'em So that 't was impossible to Translate what was not those Authors having forgot them VVe have undertaken to redress these Mischiefs and we hope in such a Method as the Age may rather be a gainer by the disappointment 1. As to the first we have prevailâ—d with our Bookseller contrary to his Interest to expunge 'em entirely and to make a better Catalogue in their Room as it was easie enough to do in so fair a Field of Collections amongst 40 or 50 Volumes which he had to choose out of 2. As to the Second VVe have consider'd the Learned Dupin's VVorks which are here translated as also Dr. Cave's Lives of the Fathâ—rs which with those Fathers that were not Corrupted in these Translations do altogether remedy that Evil and give a very handsome Account of what we found so miserably mangled and corrupted by the Iesuits beyond Sea 3. VVe cou'd have no remedy but to choose out other Subjects which we hope have exceeded those few that were thus promis'd and we dare venture the Iudgment of the severest Criticks upon it In fine the
and 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therognem Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt feed them Thirgnem or thou shalt govern them with a Scepter c. The Septuagint having read it in this last manner since they have translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt feed them He also brings Hosea 13.14 and Amos 9. and 13. The sense of this last passage is extreamly different according to their manner of reading and pointing who followed the Massorites from the sense that the Septuagint gives it According to the first it must be translated So that they shall possess the rest of Idumea and according to the last which St. Paul hath followed Act. 15.16 So that the Rest of men shall seek the Lord. Our Author afterwards saith that the pointing at this day is not always conformable to the Analogy of the Hebrew Tongue which appears by many Anomalies of which the Massore says nothing and by divers proper Names which are better written in the old Translations The Antient Versions furnish us likewise with divers significations of some words which without that would be perfectly unknown to us We are extreamly confirmed in this thought when the same words in our neighbouring Tongue have all these significations as in the Syriack Arabick and Ethiopick Languages c. which have much affinity with that of the Hebrews But he marks nevertheless that we must not too much confide in this manner of finding out the signification of some Hebrew words by the means of the neighbouring Tongues because that divers accidents happen too long to enumerate as when a word changes its signification with another People by losing its Ancient sound and acquiring something new and unknown from the Language whence it was first taken For example the English word to Try is without doubt the same as the French Trier nevertheless it has a signification which hath no agreement with that of the French word to make a Tryal or a Proof of So to Crack which comes from Craquer signifies in English to Boast To Lett in English signifies both to Permit and to Hinder but the Dutch word Letten or as they now speak Beletten which is the same signifies to Hinder So we cannot altogether trust to the Conjectures of some Learned men upon the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsagnir which is found Micah 5.2 They believe there that the Hebrew signifies Great and Little at the same time because it hath two significations in the Arabick It 's true that they have founded it upon this that the Seventy have translated Little in this place of Micah and St. Matthew which is not Little Mr. Bright comes afterwards to the use that may be made of the writings of the Rabbies and 't is in this that Lightfoot hath excelled As first from the knowledge of the customs and opinions of the Jews which altho sometimes very extravagant we may notwithstanding afford us some benefit Secondly It may serve to the confirmation of the History of Jesus Christ for it appears by that that there was one Jesus which had Disciples who lived in such a time and such a place who did and said divers things That there was such places such opinions such customs such ceremonies It 's found in the writings of the most ancient Jews the same stile and same manner of speaking are seen in the Evangelists and very often the same thoughts the same Parables and the same Proverbs Our Author brings from thence some examples that have never been observed before There is to be found in the Thalmud of Babylon an ancient Tradition of the Jews It saith that in the time of the Messia there shall be an extream Impudence c. That the Father shall be ill treated by his Son and the Daughter should rise up against her Mother the Daughter-in-law against her Mother-in-law and a mans Enemies shall be those of his own House c. By that we see that our Lord according to this ancient Doctrine of the Jews made it known that he was the Messia when he said That he was come to separate betwixt the Son and the Father the Daughter and the Mother and the Daughter-in-law and the Mother-in-law and that a mans Enemies should be those of his own House Mr. Bright after that marks the places of the Thalmud where there is mention made of Jesus Christ. Thirdly The reading of the Rabbies is useful to convince the Jews at this day that they ought to understand Him to be the Messia from many passages of the Old Testament Which they endeavour to interpret otherwise tho their Fathers understood it as we do From thence he brings a great many examples It is said in an ancient Iewish Book which is called Pelicta that God had a Dialogue with the Messia in these Terms God began to make a Covenant with the Messiah speaking thus to him Those which have sinned are unknown to thee and will impose upon thee a Yoak of Iron by which they will render thee like to a Heifer almost blind with excess of labour and at last they shall destroy thee because of their iniquity thy Tongue shall cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth And wilt thou suffer this The Messia It may be that these griefs and afflictions shall endure but for a time God I am fully resolved that thou shalt suffer it a whole week of years but if thou consent not thereto I shall not impose these sufferings upon thee The Messia I willingly submit my self on condition that one Israelite may not perish but that they may all be saved those that live and dye in my Time those that are hidden under the Earth and which are dead since Adam even the Children which died before they were born or that are come into the World afore their time in a word all that have been created until now and which shall be hence forth Altho there is much extravagance here we it may nevertheless discover through all these fictions that the ancient Jews have not always promised themselves a Triumphant Messia and such as should peaceably enjoy the advantages which the Jews of our times attribute to him It is plain 't was believed that the Sufferings of the Messia should be a means to expiate the sins of Israel 'T is this which the same Author assures us of in terms very clear which Mr. Bright relates Fourthly Much use may be drawn from the reading of the Rabbies because therein are found opinions customs and manners of speaking which were used amongst the Jews in the time of our Lord as he shews by some examples never before produced thus Lightfoot hath composed all the second Volume of his works upon this Subject Mr. Bright believes that St. Paul had a respect to an opinion of the Jews when he obliged the Women to have their heads covered in Devotion because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. and 20. and he cites thereupon
of the Book of Samuel of the Chronicles and of Kings put together according as the order of events required Here are also many Psalms with the occasions and most difficult passages of the Canticles explained after the manner of our Author that is to say according to the method of the Rabbins who only guessed at many things in ancient History Whereof see an example in C. 58. about the explication of Psalm 58.35 but as neither the time nor the Authors of all the Psalms are not known Lightfoot could not range them in Chronological order Which has obliged him to place the Book of Psalms after the the 35 th chapter of the 1 st Book of Chronicles In this place he makes divers reflections upon the gathering together of these Sacred Songs Ps. 71. He tells us the Book of Proverbs and the Song of Songs was written when Solomon had finished the buildings he had undertaken He believes that the Song of Songs was composed by this Prince upon his Marrying the King of Egypt's Daughter who that being a very hot Country was Brown as it is Cant. 1.5 6. but his chief end was to represent the Spiritual Marriage of Jesus Christ with his Church under the sensible Type of his own with an Egyptian As for the Ecclesiastes Lightfoot places it much later and thinks it a work that he composed in the time of his Repentance see Pag. 26. from this place the Books of the Kings and Chronicles are Printed in Columns so that one may see at first view the conformity and difference which is between them as there is in this History many Chronological difficulties so Lightfoot is more exact to mark the years of every Prince 5. Being come to the Reign of Vzziah whom the Scripture also calls Azarias he saith that before that time there always had been some Prophets but that none of them had left his Prophecies in writing And according to him 't was in this time that the Prophets begun to write On this occasion he describes the order and end of the Prophecies of Hosea Ioel Amos Obadiah and Ionas he maintains that the first occasion of the Prophecies of Hosea was the death of Zacharias Son of Barachia As all that this Prophet saith cannot relate to one time only so he here mentions but the four first Chapters the others are each in their place He hath observed the same order in regard to the rest who have prophesied in divers times Those according to his Judgment whose Predictions have been delivered in the same time are inserted entire in the places where Lightfoot speaks of what happened at that time as Nahum Zephaniah c. 6. The Book of Esdras immediately followeth the first of Chronicles It was then that Cyrus published his Edict by which he permitted the Jews to return to their Countrey for tho' Darius of Media or Astyages as the Greeks call him lived at that time it was made in the name of Cyrus his Grandson Lightfoot makes divers remarks upon this Darius of Media to p. 113. in explaining the 5th Chapter of Daniel and to p. 136. he speaks of several things during the Reign of Cyrus and the Succession of the Kings of Persia. Lightfoot inserts the History of Esdras after the 4th Chapter of Esdras He believes the Assuerus mentioned in this History was also called Artaxerxes and that he was called Assuerus from the name of one of his Predecessors which is spoken of in Dan. 9.1 to wit the Grandfather of Cyrus whom the Greeks called according to Lightfoot Astyages He makes this Assuerus immediately to follow Cyrus 7. Nehemiah and Malachy end this work and the Spirit of Prophecy having ceased among the Jews the Books that they have since made have not had the same Authority as those that preceded them Lightfoot explains here the difficult Chronologies that he meets with in his way 2. The Harmony of the Old Testament is followed with some remarks upon Genesis and Exodus the first are entituled Paucae ac novellae observationes super librum Geneseos quarum pleraeque certae caeterae probabiles sunt omnes autem innoxiae ac raro antea auditae It is a Collection of divers Rabbinical Remarks or like in subtilty to those of the Rabbins They conjecture at many things according to the custom of these ingenious Doctors for example That the first natural Day in the Climat of the Garden of Eden was thirty six hours long even as the day whereof mention is made in the 10 th Chapter of Joshua That the Moon and some Stars were created before the Sun That it was at the full before the Sun appeared which then augmented its Light but that the Earth hindering the sight thereof it appeared not to Adam till six days after who saw it in its first quarter after that the Promise had cleared the darkness of the Fall That the clean Beasts were created in each kind to the number seven whereof three pairs were destined to the propagation of their kind and the seventh to be sacrificed by Adam after he had sinned but that there was but one pair of each kind of unclean Animals c. His Remarks upon Exodus bear this Title Manipulus spicilegiorum è libro Exodi ubi solutio probabilis scrupulorum quorundam manifestorum explanatio difficiliorum textuum qui hoc libro occurrunt antea ab aliis raro exhibitae These Remarks keep much of the subtilty of the preceding ones therein is nevertheless seen a method a little more conform to that which the Interpreters of the holy Scripture commonly follow Every Section contains particular Remarks which have no connexion one with the other and there are 59 Questions which we cannot undertake to make an exact Extract of We shall only bring two or three of them by which you may judge of the rest Lightfoot believes that the 88 th and 89 th Psalms are the most Antient Works that remain amongst us and are made by Heman and Ethan Sons of Zerach as hath already been remarked who lived in the time of the Egyptian Slavery He makes answer to those who oppose him therein that Ethan speaks of David 1. That this might be a Spirit of Prophecy as 't is spoken of Samuel in Psal. 99. which the Hebrews believe to be of Moses 2. That Prophet having left some Writings they have been polished and augmented by others who had also the gift of Prophecy according as certain things present past or to come required it This will plainly appear saith Lightfoot if we compare the 18th Psalm with the first of Sam. chap. 22. Obadiah with Ieremiah c. 49. v. 14. 1 Chron. c. 16. with Psal. 92. 105. 2 Pet. c. 2. with the Epistle of St. Iude. He believes that this piece of Ethan hath likewise been polished in David's time and that several times the name of David was then inserted from Section the 30th unto the end Our Author endeavours to describe the Tabernacle and
other Iames Hamilton They went into Ireland by order of the King of Scotland to form some agreement with the Protestant Nobility of that Country intending thereby to assure himself of that Kingdom in case Q. Elizabeth died suddenly The better to cover their enterprise and to give no Umbrage to a Queen extreamly suspitious they set themselves to teach Latin at Dublin where at that time 't was very rare to find persons learn'd in Humanity Vsher having profited very much by them in a little time seem'd to have a particular inclination to Poetry which he afterwards chang'd into as great a desire of understanding History that which created this inclination in him was reading these words of Cicero Nescire quid antra quam natus sis acciderit id est semper esse puerum his Annals and his other writings sufficiently shew what progress he had made in this study whereof he has given sensible proofs in his Infancy Being in the University of Dublin establish'd principally by the care of Henry Vsher his Uncle Archbishop of Ardmagh He set himself to read the Fortalitium fidei of Stapleton which made him resolve to apply himself to the reading of the Fathers to see if this Author had cited them faithfully he began to put this design in execution at 20 years old and continued this Study without intermission for 18 years obliging himself to read every day a certain task His Father had a mind to divert him from it and engage him to Study the Law to which our Prelate had no inclination but in 1598. he dying soon after left his Son at Liberty to chuse what manner of life was most pleasing to him he was the eldest son of the family and the estate his Father left was considerable enough to make him apply all his time in Domestick affairs This made him resolve to put off this trouble and to remit the Estate to his Brother with orders to give to his Sisters what their Father had left them reserving only to himself what would maintain him in the University with a sufficiency to buy himself some Books Whilst he was at the University and but yet 18 years old he disputed against a Jesuit call'd Fitz-Symmons and overcame him in two conferences which made this Jesuit afterwards in a Book Intituled Britannomachia call him the most learn'd of those who are not Catholicks A-Catholicorum Doctissimum he made so great a progress in the first years that he apply'd himself to Divinity that his Uncle Archbishop of Ardmagh ordain'd him Priest at the 21 year of his Age. This ordination was not conformable to the Canons but the extraordinary merit of young Vsher and the necessities of the Church made him believe it was not necessary to stay till the age mark'd out by the Ecclesiastical Laws of Ireland He preach'd then at Dublin with very great applause he particularly devoted himself to the controversies which were between the Protestants and Roman Catholicks he treated on them so clearly and with so much solidity that he confirm'd many wavering Protestants and prevailed with many Roman Catholicks to embrace the Protestant Faith But amongst those who rank'd themselves in the Protestant Churches there was a great number that were not so sincere as he could have wished them they did all they could to obtain the publick exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion at Dublin that they might insensibly have had the Liberty to make a profession of their true Sentiments Vsher who believ'd that this toleration wou'd be of a very dangerous consequence oppos'd it with all his might and one day as he Preacht upon this matter with great zeal he spoke something which then no notice was taken of but 40 years after it was found to be a true Prophecy he took his Text upon these words of Ezek. ch 4. v. 5. And thou shalt bear the Iniquity of the house of Judah 40 days I have appointed thee a day for a year He applied these days to Ireland and said that he who reckon'd from this year to 40. should find that the Protestants of Ireland should bear the Iniquity of those who were for a toleration in these times this was in 1601. and 40 years were no sooner expired 1641. but the Irish Catholicks made a bloody Massacre upon the Protestants He never wholly discontinued to Preach whilst he was in Ireland altho he was Professor of Divinity in that University but he accustom'd himself to make a Voyage every three years into England where he found a greater variety of Books than in Ireland there he past one part of his time at Oxford another at Cambridge and another at London and carefully visited all their publick and particular Libraries he made collections of what Books he there read and made remarks upon them with a design to make a work that he had resolved to Intitule A Theological Bibliotheque wherein he had treated very accurately of all the Ecclesiastical Antiquities but the misfortunes of Ireland and the Civil Wars of England hinder'd him from finishing it he ordered when he died that it should be put into the hands of Mr. Laugbaine Dr. of Divinity to supply what was wanting and publish them to the World This learn'd man engag'd himself forthwith in this useful work but he died before he finished it 1657. There is yet to be seen in the Bodleyane Bibliotheque his Manuscripts which no man dares undertake to finish In 1615. there was a Parliament in Ireland and an assembly of the Clergy where certain Articles were compos'd touching Religion and Ecclesiastical Discipline Vsher who was the chief in it caus'd it to be sign'd by the Chancellor of Ireland and by the Orators of the Assembly of the Bishops and of the Clergy King Iames approved of 'em also altho' there was some difference between these and the Articles of the Church of England some ill dispos'd persons and it may be Roman Catholicks took occasion from that to spread evil reports of Vsher. They accused him of Puritanism which was no little Heresie in the opinion of the King they also made use of this artifice to render those odious who appear'd the most capable of opposing the progress that the Missionaries of Rome endeavoured to make in Ireland Indeed the people knew not what this word signified and wherein Heresie consisted but it was known the King mortally hated Puritans and that was sufficient to make 'em look upon these Puritans as most dangerous Hereticks 't was this that obliged an Irish Divine to write to Vsher who was that time in England that it would not be amiss to desire the King to define Puritanism that all the World might know those who were tainted with this strange Heresie but Vsher had no need to make use of this way to justifie himself some conversations that he had with the King setled so good an opinion of him that the Bishopprick of Meath in Ireland being vacant the King gave it him immediately and
took all imaginable care that the Roman Religion should not make any progress in Ireland yet it stole in by the negligence of other Bishops insomuch that that Party which maintain'd it did sensibly increase and grow strong It was this that oblig'd King Charles the first to write a Letter to the Primate of Ireland which is to be found in page 38. wherein he authorizes him to write Letters of Exhortation to all the Bishops of Ireland that they shou'd discharge their duty better than they had done About the latter end of the year 1631. Vsher makes a Voyage into England where he publish'd a small English Treatise concerning the Antient Religion of Ireland and of the People which inhabited the North of Scotland and of England he shews in this Treatise how it was in respect to the Essential parts of the same Religion which at present is establish'd in England and which is very forreign to that of the Roman Catholicks The year following our Arch-Bishop return'd into Ireland and publish'd a Collection intituled Veterum Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge whereof the first Pieces were written about the year 1590. and the last about 1180. there one may learn the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Ireland In 1639. which was seven years after he publish'd his Book intituled Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates wherein he inserted the History of Pelagius and his Sentiments There are to be found the Antiquities of the most distant Churches of Great Britain since Christianity was Preached there that is to say since about 20 years after the death of Jesus Christ. In 1640. Vsher makes a Voyage into England with his Family with design to return very soon into Ireland but the Civil Wars hinder'd him insomuch that he cou'd never return to his Country again T is said that in the year following he brought the King to sign the death of the Earl of Strafford but as to this Dr. Parr speaks very much in his Justification he afterwards shews us after what manner he lost all that he had in Ireland except his Library which he brought into England Strangers very much envyed this great man that his Compatriots shou'd offer him divers Places of Retreat The Heads of the University of Leiden soon gave him a considerable Pension and offered him the Title of Honourable Professor if he wou'd come into Holland The Cardinal Richelieu sent him his Medal and also proffer'd to him a great Pension with the liberty of professing his Religion in France if he wou'd come thither Our Arch-Bishop thank'd him and sent him a Present of Irish Grey-Hounds and other Rarities of that Country Three years after he publish'd a small Treatise intituled A Geographical and Historical Research touching Asia Minor properly so call'd to wit Lydia whereof frequent mention is made in the New Testament and which the Ecclesiastical Writers and other Authors call'd Proconsulary Asia or the Diocess of Asia In this Treatise there is a Geographical Description of Asia Minor and of its different Provinces as that of Caria and Lydia under which the Romans comprehend Ionia and Aeolia Vsher shews there 1. That Asia whereof mention is made in the New Testament and the Seven Churches which St. Iohn spoke of in the Apocalypse were included in Lydia that every one of these Cities were the Chief of a small Province and because of this Division they were chosen to be the principal Seats of the Bishops of Asia 2. That the Roman Provinces had not always the same extension but were often contracted or enlarg'd for reasons of State thus the Empire was otherwise divided under Augustus than it was under Constantine under whom Proconsulary Asia had more narrow bounds than formerly 't is remarkable that under this last Emperor Proconsulary Asia which was govern'd by a Proconsul of the Diocess of Asia from whence the Governor was call'd Vicarius or Comes Asiae or Dioceseos Asianae but this division was afterwards chang'd under his Successors and whereas every Province had but one Metropolis to satisfie the ambition of some Bishops 't was permitted to two of 'em at the same time to take the Title of Metropolitan 3. That under Constantine Ephesus was the place where the Governors of Asia met to form a kind of Council which decided affairs of importance and 't was for this that Ephesus was then the only Metropolis of Proconsulary Asia that the Proconsul which was Governor never submitted to the Authority of the Praetorian Prefect and that there was something so like this in the Ecclesiastical Government that the Bishop of Ephesus was not only Metropolitan of Consulary Asia but also the Primate and Head of the Diocess of Asia 4. That there was a great conformity between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government in this that the Bishops of every Province were subject to their Metropolitans as the Magistrates of every City were to the Governors of the whole Provinces This was the time wherein Vsher published in Greek and Latin the Epistles of St. Ignatius with those of St. Barnabas and St. Polycarp seven years after he added his Appendix Ignatiana where he proves that all the Epistles of Ignatius are not suppositious and explains many ecclesiastick antiquities he published the same year his Syntagma de editione 70 Interpretum where he proposes a particular Sentiment which he had upon this version 't is this that It contained but the five Books of Moses and that it was lost in the burning of the Library of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus and that Doritheus a Heretick Jew made another version of the Pentateuch and also translated the rest of the Old Testament about 177 years before the birth of Jesus Christ under the Reign of Ptolomaeus Philometor and that the Greek Church preserves this last version instead of that which was made under the Reign of Ptolomeus Philadelphus he also treats in this same work of the different editions of this version which according to him are falsly styled the version of the 70 this Book was published a year after the death of our Prelate with another De Cainane altero or the second Canaan which is found in the version of the 70. and in St. Luke between Sala and Arphaxad This last work of Vsher was the Letter which he wrote to Mr. 〈…〉 the difference he had with Mr. a friend of the Archbishops we shaâ—â— speak of it hereafter Dr. Parr informs us that in the Civil Wars of England Vsher going from Cardisse to the Castle of St. Donates which belonged to Madam Stradling he was extreamly Ill treated by the Inhabitants of Glamorganshire in Wales they took his Books and Papers from him which he had much ado to regain and whereof he lost some which contained remarks upon the Vaudois and which shou'd have serv'd to carry on his Book de Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione where there is wanting the History of more than 200. years viz from Gregory the 11th to Leo the 10th from the year 1371 to 1513 and
afterwards in what manner the Apostles consecrated the Sabbath particularly by this passage of St. Ignatius to the Magnesians Non amplius sabbatizantes sed secundum Dominicam Viventes in qua vita nostra orta est But this matter hath been more largely treated upon by others and Vsher confesses when he read the Fathers he collected nothing upon this subject because he thought there was never any controversie about it produced amongst the Divines Those that desire to understand all the Antient Characters of the Saxons may find an Alphabet thereof in the 253 Letter from Dr. Longbain as also divers Letters that treated by the by of Chronological questions and Astronomy but as there is nothing compleat or very considerable upon these abstruse matters upon which few persons will give themselves any trouble 't was thought unnecessary to make any extract thereof I shall say but one word of the 267 Letter addressed to Lewis Cappel where our Archbishop takes against him the part of Arnold Boat the difference that was between these two Learned men may be reduced to these two heads First Boat believed there was very little variety of reading in the Old Testament as the differences of Keri and Chelib and of the Eastern and Western Copies and that these varieties were not to be found but by the means of the Massore and from the Hebrew Manuscripts Cappel on the contrary maintains that the number of these varieties are very great that they may be collected from many ancient Copies and particularly that of the Septuagint although much corrupted The Archbishop says also that we can't have such assurance upon this version where there are many prodigious faults and so very many differences that the Authors connot be made use of but as an Original very corrupt even without speaking of the errors produced by malice but there is no Book of the Scripture where they are so far from the Original as that of Iob which by the Authority of Origen and St. Ierome is proved that these Interpreters have cut off a great number of verses Vsher maintains after St. Ierome that they added and changed several passages He says 't was occasioned by malice to keep from the Greeks the knowledge of the Sacred Oracles having shewn in some places that they were very capable of translating it well had they been Inclin'd thereto as in the Book of Ezek. where they are much more conform to our Hebrew than in the other Books of the Scripture according to the works of St. Ierome These Sentiments of Vsher are not to be wondered at when we consider what hath been said of his opinion concerning the Author of the Translation of the 70. Secondly Boat and Vsher believed that they began to work at Massore immediately after the time of Esdras whereas Cappel maintains that it was not so much as thought on till 600 years after Christ Vsher endeavours to maintain his Sentiment by a proof drawn from the Gemare of Babylon Which makes mention of Certain Scribes who counted all the Letters of the Law and mark'd that Vau which is in the word Gachon Levit. 11.24 is exactly in the middle in regard of the number of the Letters c. On which occasion Usher speaks of Ioseph and tho he confess'd to Cappel that Philo did not know the Hebrew he agrees not with the Jewish Historian who had written his History in Hebrew as himself saith and who drew it from the Original Hebrew Vsher says nevertheless that he hath not done it faithfully As Ierome Xavier the Jesuite saith 't is not long since he gave the History of the Evangelists to the Persians which he hath adjusted as himself pleas'd Ioseph gave formerly to the Greeks the History of the Old Testament changing therein and adding thereto many things drawn from the Apocriphal Books 'T is thus that he says Solomon Reigned 80. years in stead of 40. and that he says David Left for the use of the Temple 100000 talents of Silver instead of 1000000 He adds to the Text an account of Moses Age from three years of the War he made with the Ethiopians and of Tharbis son of the Ethiopian King which conceived a great love for him c Vsher speaks also of the Samaritan Pentateuch from whence he brings 5. or 6 Copies first into Europe He believes that it was corrupted by one Dosthes or Dositheus which in the time of the Apostles was suppos'd to pass for the Messia amongst the Samaritans this is founded upon the Authority of St. Origen who assures us in express terms that this Dositheus corrupted the Pentateuch in many places He afterwards brings some passages in the Samaritan Pentateuch where he maintains that the numbers or the words were chang'd he even believes that Hebrew was intermix'd with the Greek Septuagint If that were true we ought not to be surpriz'd to find that this translation is more conform to the Samaritan text than the Hebrew Vsher also pretends that there is not more variety of reading any where than in the Greek Version Tom. 8. p. 174. The Antiquities of the British Churches in which is inserted the History of the Pestiferous Heresie introduced into the Church by Pelagius a Britain against the Grace of God To which is added an historical Exposition of the most important dispute about the Succession and State of the Christian Churches By James Usher Archbishop of Ardmagh Primate of Ireland The Second Edition Each part Corrected and Augmented by the Author himself At London 1687. in Fol. pag. 738. THE British Antiquities of Usher are composed of three parts the first containeth six Chapters and includes the fabulous History of the Progress of the Christian Religion in England since the year XLI of Jesus Christ to the year CCI. The Monks of the last Ages have almost entirely invented it and whatsoever truththere may be in it is so mingled with gross lyes that in divers places of the Pagan Fables are found more footsteps of truth than in these Monastick Histories Neither doth Vsher propose them as true he is so far from that that he advertiseth the Reader to believe nothing of it by these terms of the Epicharme Watch and Remember to be incredulous are the sins of Wisdom and by these words of Euripides there is nothing more profitable to mortals than a wise incredulity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As it is certain that a great many men do but too much follow this maxim in our Age So it cannot be doubted but a great part of Christianity hath need enough to be put in mind thereof What is most likely in it to be true is according to the testimony of Gildas which hath been related elsewhere that some person Preached the Gospel in England towards the end of the Reign of Tiberius which continued here until the time of Dioclesian At least Tertullian and Origen reckon England amongst those Countries that in their time had
and of Protestants with Roman Catholicks But it appears also that when he reflected upon the difficulties of reuniting which are already and upon those w ch arise every day he look'd upon the Reunion as a thing which ought to be wished for but of which there is but little hopes Thus it is that he speaks in several places In the first part may be seen Letters 422.426.519.649.976 Where he complains particularly of the new Institution of the Scapular and of the books of the Office of the Virgin which he looks upon as obstacles to peace This is what makes him speak thus to his Brother William Grotius in a letter of the 21. of February 1625. Hoc voti magis est quà m spei praesertim cum Romae M. Antonii de Dominis damnata si◠memoria corpore exusto Et tamen sunt qui me Romam invitent Sed quae tanta precor Romam mihi causa videndi But as when we ardently desire a thing this Passion often makes the difficulties disappear which are in the obtaining thereof so Grotius hoped sometime that he should see it but rather as a simple object of his wishes than his hopes so it appears by the Letters 534. and 637. of the 2. p. that he flattered himself that in time the Roman Church might relinquish several of its Tenets and correct several abuses whereof the most understanding persons of that Communion complain every day He hoped nevertheless to see it but this Idea flattered him so pleasantly that he could not but say Amare liceat si potiri non licet What he had written in his youth was objected against him as contrary to what he maintained towards the end of his life But first he saith that if all this be examined there will no contradiction be found in it and he adds in the second place that if by a more advantage by the conversation of the Learned and by much Reading his judgment is become more solid he ought no more to be accused of inconstancy than St. Augustin who retracted in his old age several things which he had advanced in the first books he published P. 2. l. 647. Besides these matters of Divinity which respect Controversie some Questions of Morality are found in these Letters which are not of a less importance for example What rule men should keep in the estimation of things which are exchanged and sold and in the Interest which can be demanded for ones money l. 953. p. 1. As this depends on infinite circumstances the Laws have defined nothing upon these matters People have been forced to be referred to natural equity which all men ought to have for one another Ruarus demanded of Grotius if a Man can espouse two Sisters after one another because the Divine Laws say nothing on 't tho' human Laws prohibit it and if a Christian is oblig'd to follow but mans Laws Grotius answers that Princes have Right to declare null these sort of Marriages just as the other Contracts and that a Christian is oblig'd to follow the Laws unless they are altogether unsufferable Let. 327. and 336. P. 1. In the Letter 1057. Grotius expounds a place of his book de Iure belli ac Pacis and sheweth in what sense these words of Jesus Christ ought to be understood He that will take your Coat from you let him take your Cloak c. The sense of the explication which he gives in this Letter cannot be comprehended without comparing it with the book above mentioned One Nicholas de Bye of the Society of the Menonites which Grotius calls genus hominum non malum had sent him a great letter by which he endeavoured to prove that it was prohibited to Christians to make War to punish with Death Grotius answers to that several things in the Letters 545 and 546. of the 2d P. which may be added to what he hath said upon these matters in his book de Iure Pacis ac Belli An Extract of the Letters of Grotius II. Part Treating upon Law History and Politicks WE have run thro' the Criticks and Divinity in the Letters of the famous Grotius It remains that we should make an extract of the matters concerning Law History and Politicks Tho' he undertakes not to treat throughly on this subject there are nevertheless several places which may contribute much to the understanding of divers hard questions in the Law History and in the Government of States III. The famous question concerning the Domination of the Sea may be referred to Law which hath been so often agitated in the North. There was at the beginning of this Age a dispute between the English and the Dutch concerning the fishing for Whales Commissaries were named on both sides to regulate this difference Grotius was one of the Commissaries of the Province of Holland and he relates the success of the Conference which they had with the English Commissaries in his Letter 56. 1. p. He saith they silenced the English and made it appear that neither the Country of Greenland nor the Sea belonged to them and that the Dutch could not lose the liberty of their Navigation nor of fishing for Whales whereof none had any right to claim the Propriety to himself We clearly shewed saith he that the Land belonged not to them seeing before the year 1596. no body had gone to it that the Hollanders discovered it and gave it the Name which it hath yet as is evident in all the modern Geographers Spheers and Mapps They would fain have persuaded us that Hugh Willoughby discovered it in 1553. But we prove by the very Journal of this Voyager that he being parted from Finland took Anchor at the Isle of that Name which is very far from Greenland that he in fine died with Cold and Hunger with all his Companions upon the Coasts of Lapland where some Laponians found them the next Summer and whence their journals were carried into England The English could answer nothing to all this only that there had been much wrong done to their master to contest a Right with him which he had till then peaceably possess'd In the letter 15. P. 2. He treats of this question to wit Whether a Lord of Holland might yield something touching the Rights of Navigation and Commerce without the Consent of the States He maintains he cannot because the Lords of Holland were but the Guardians of the Rights of the People without being able to Alienate them as he says may be shewn easily by the Laws of the Countrey Upon this occasion he saith that Holland was a free Countrey even under its Lords and that this liberty began not when the King of Spain was declared a Receder from his Rights or when a Truce was made with him Grotius brings some reasons for this which may be read in the Original Grotius had written in 1615 to the Embassador of the States at the Court of France touching the Controversies which were in agitation at that time
IV. Grotius hath also by the by spoken of some other Questions of Law which are not necessary to be related here We shall pass to what is Historical in his Letters whereof one part belongs to ancient History Profane or Ecclesiastical and the other to the History of his Time or of his own Adventures We shall in a few words observe what 's most curious upon these matters We have already noted that there is in a Letter to Mr. de Pieresc the Life of Nicholas of Damascus There is no other profane History but this except some allusion by the by to some fact which he relates not as Letter 399. p 2. One of the finest works saith he of Parrhasius is written in Pliny He represented the People of Athens after a very ingenious manner He would represent a People Cholerick Unjust Inconstant and at the same time easie to be perswaded Merciful Clement Proud Cowardly Fierce and Timorous He painted the figure of a man much as I would have the Republick of Holland or that of the United Provinces to be represented by a Virgin I would have a Virgin to be painted who hath yet her Virginity but who makes it known that it is burthensome to her In the Letter 122. p. 1. He remarks the Oaths that the ancient Jews were accustomed to make use of but in things of small consequence they believed one should not swear by Divinity it self but by ones Father and Mother by the Earth by the Stars by Heaven or by the Universe It 's apparent in the beginning of the Book of Philo intituled de specialibus legibus Which serves much according to the Judgment of Grotius to clear what Jesus Christ saith of Oaths in ch v. of St. Mat. Where he prohibites us to swear at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit after any manner which the Jews swear He makes besides some other remarks upon this place of the Gospel but as he most enlarged upon this matter in his Annotations it 's better to send the Reader to them and to take notice of another thing which is in his Letters touching the Jews He saith that since the Jews were banished from their Countrey and dispersed amongst Nations who hate them they are more exposed to calumny and that we ought not slightly to believe the evil which we may hear of them that notwithstanding he would not always answer for their innocency seeing they believe it is lawful to curse Christians as appears by the Thalmud and by other Books They are not satisfied with words they proceed to effects when they think themselves strong enough for it You may see adds he in the History of Dion what the Jews of Cyrene have done in times past and in Sozomen l.vii. c. 13. and Socrates l.vii. c. 17. what the Jews did who lived between Calcedon and Antioch Nicephorus passeth for an Author on whom one cannot well rely It 's not amiss however to hear what he saith of the Jews of Arabia Samaria and Antioch l. xvii c 6. 24. l. xviii 44. because what he saith is upheld by the Testimony of Paul the Deacon l. xviii and by Zonaras in the Life of Phocas Polydor Virgil assures in l.xvi. of his History that they were banished from England because a cruel design was discovered which they had formed Stumphius Thomas Barbartensis in his Fortalitium fidei Michael Neander in his Erotemata linguae sanctae accuses them of having killed Children and gather'd their Blood for he knew not what uses at Munster Zurich Berne at Weessensch in Turing at Vberlingue near Ausbourg at Dieffenhof c. Sabellicus affirms the same thing of the Jews of Trent l. viii Ennead x. Bonfinius saith as as much of those of Tirnave in Hungary l.iv. Dec. v. For to say nothing of the Magick and Superstitious uses which may be made thereof the Blood of Infants being a remedy against Leprosie whereof several Princes have been accused to have made use Jewish Physitians might have easily undertaken to make a trial of it because of the hatred which they bore to Christians when they believed they had no reason to fear the Laws It 's then visible 't is a long time since this crime was imputed to them true or false Let. 693. p. 1. There is another observation touching a Sect of the ancient Jews wherein perhaps more likelihood of Truth will be found The most exact Chronologists according to Grotius say that Pythagoras lived towards the end of the Empire of Cyrus Numenius Porphyrius and Hermippus followers of this Philosopher say he was in Iudea and that he followed in several things the Sentiments of the Jews If we seek what Sect of the Jews might have served for a model to Pythagoras none will be found upon whom this suspition may fall but that of the Esseans There was nothing more alike than the Assemblies of these Jews and the common Auditories of the Pythagoreans such as Porphyrius Iamblicus Herocles and others describe In effect Iosephus says that the manner of living of the Esseans and Pythagoreans was the same If Iosephus speaks of the Esseans only in remarking what happened under Ianathas an Asmonean Prince it was but by the by and on the occasion of mentioning the Sadduces and Phariâ—ees without telling when this first Sect begun Grotius believes that their Sects were formed upon those of the Rechabites and Nazarenes Let. 552. p. 1. Speaking of Ecclesiastical History in general he cryeth out Let. 22. p. 1. What do those read who read the Ecclesiastical History but the Vices of Bishops Qui Ecclesiasticam Historiam legit quid legit nisi Episcoporum vitia and elsewhere upon the occasion of something which Heinsius said of the Trinity he remarks that the Greek and Latin School agree not after which he adds Mihi constat Patres in explicatione harum rerum plurimum dissensisse etiamsi vocum quarundam sono inter se conveniant quae sex repertae sunt bono affectu successu non semper optimo There arose in 1630. a pretty warm dispute between Mr. de l' Aubespine Bishop of Orleance and Mr. Rigaut who had printed some Books of Tertullian corrected upon some old Mss. touching the sence of a passage of this Author in his Book de Exhortatione Castiâ—atis Mr. Rigaut thought Tertullian meant that it was permitted to Laicks to Consecrate being in places where they cou'd have no Priests Mr. de l' Aubespine upheld that in this place he did not speak of the Eucharist but of what we now call Blessed-Bread because the Council of Trent defined that it belonged to Priests only to consecrate These are the Words of Tertullian Nonne Laici sacerdotes sumus scriptum est regnum quoque nos sacerdotes Deo Patri suo fecit Differentiam inter ordinem Plebem constituit Ecclesia honor per Ordinis consessum Sanctificatus adeo ubi Ecclesiastici ordinis non est Consessus OFFERS TINGUIS Sacerdos es
be modest sweet and moderate whereupon he much diaspproves the heat of most of the Controvertists and the false delicateness of some Divines who make capital errours of every thing and who as soon as they see any stumble or to swerve from their Opinion endeavour to make him be considered as an Enemy to Truth to the good of the State and the Salvation of Souls 4. He sheweth that order is the life of Books and that those who have no method have but confused Ideas of what they advance In the fourth Chapter he examines wherein consists the solidity of Writing In the 5th How clear it ought to be In the 6th He shews how briefness is acceptable and the difference there is betwixt Plagiaries Centons and those who make a judicious use of their learning In the 7th he treats of Reading in general and proves that it is so far from doing any injury to Divines that they cannot throughly understand the Sacred nor Ecclesiastical Authors if they are not well acquainted with profane Writers The 8th speaks of the choice of books and how to read them with advantage and the 9th of several famous Library-keepers and of divers Princes who favoured Learning II. The second Part treats in five Chapters 1. Of the hatred People have for books and of its principal causes sloath avarice 2. The love of novelty which makes us despise the labours of the Antients 3. The pride and foolish vanity of the Learned who contemn one another 4. The mutual envy they bear one another 5. In fine he endeavours to find the means to shelter Authors from the envy or hatred which may be conceived against their Works and speaks of the different destiny of books We have two other Treatises of our Author Otia Theologica Concionator Sacer. A Voyage to Dalmatia Greece and the Levant by Mr. Wheeler enrich'd with curious Medals and Figures of the chief Antiquities which are to be found in those Places The Description of the Customs Cities Rivers Sea-Ports and of all that is most remarkable therein Translated from the English Amsterdam for John Wolters Bookseller in 12. 607 p. T IS not above Ten or Twelve Years since the Celebrated Mr. Spon gave a very handsom Relation of this Voyage to the Levant with Mr. Wheeler Which hath receiv'd such applause from the Publick that there 's no reason to fear this will be less welcome For as Mr. Wheeler's Curiosity hath carry'd him to many more Subjects than the other has treated on so he likewise having made a longer abode in those Countries that he describes has much more enriched and diversifyed his History Whereas Mr. Spon engaged himself chiefly to the Observation of the Monuments of Antiquity and made it his particular Study It may be said of our Author that he forgot nothing that was considerable in any place he pass'd through of what nature soever With the exact Descriptions he hath given of the Principal Monuments he saw he has very agreeably added an Account of all the Plants of each place the Cities most of the Villages Mountains Plains Sea-Ports Rivers and all that he met with remarkable in his Voyage He carefully observed the Genius Manners and Religion of the Inhabitants the nature and price of the Commodities of the Country what Foreign Goods sell there to the best Advantage with the distance of the Ways and many other things of this nature As he opened that both the Old and New Geographers were deceiv'd in the Situation of divers places so he Marks what he thought the most agreeable to Truth He gave himself the trouble to draw out a new Map of Achaia incomparably more Correct than was ever seen before The whole Work is divided into two Books each of which is subdivided into three others The first contains 1. The History of our Authors Voyage from Venice to Constantinople 2. A Description of Constantinople the Neighbouring places and their Antiquities 3. The particulars of his Voyage through the Lesser Asia In the second Book is comprehended 1. The Voyage from Zant to Athens and through divers parts of Greece 2. The Description of Athens and it's Antiquities 3. Several Voyages from Athens to Corinth c. With an Account of whatsoever he saw remarkable therein Being at Venice that these two Illustrious Friends entred upon their Voyage together Mr. Wheeler thought he was oblig'd to begin his History with a short Description of the Original of this great Republick of it's Progress Losses and in fine the Estate it was in at 1675. when they were there The first considerable Place they visited in their course was Pola where they found divers Monuments of Antiquity which evidently shew'd it to be one of the Antientest Towns of Istria and that it was formerly a free State At one of the best places of Dalmatia which is the Chief City thereof call'd Zara they found nothing less considerable which place is more secured by the number and courage of the Morlaques the natural Inhabitants of the Country of whom the greatest part of the Garison are compos'd than by the goodness of it's Fortifications they having an irreconcilable hatred to the Turks But one of the most curious Pieces of Antiquity that this Country affords is the residue of a Palace that Dioclesian caus'd to be built near Salone which was the place of his Birth that he might pass the rest of his Life in this happy Retirement when he had renounced the Empire Those who have form'd an advantagious Idea of Ithica because it was the Country of Vlysses and the particular place of his Residence will be surpriz'd to hear our Author affirm it to be a pittiful little Isle that wou'd be a perfect Desert if a People they call Thiaki went not from time to time to cultivate it In this last is seen the Ruines of an Old Castle which the Thiaki pretend was formerly the Palace of Vlysses Samos that 's now known only under the Name of Cephalonia was the greatest Isle under the Command of this Prince For according to Mr. Wheeler 't is 60 Leagues in Circumference altho' Strabo allowed it to be but 300 Furlongs which makes not above 19 Leagues and Pliny but 22 Leagues Zant formerly call'd Zacynthos is nothing nigh so large since the utmost extent is but 15 Leagues 'T is very fruitful and nothing cou'd be added to make it more agreeable were it not for the Earthquakes which in the greatest part of the Spring are very often twice a week From this Island now comes the greatest part of those Raisins without Stones that they call Corants the Plant of which Fruit is not like our Gooseberrys as without reason has been an Opinion generally receiv'd but a Vine differing very little from the other sort of Raisins At the foot of one o' the Hills of this Island is a Fountain which to admiration casts forth with it's streams that are very bright and clear lumps of Pitch in Quantities so great
which is added a Preface touching the Original of this History Sold by Mr. Chiswell at London 1688. p. 44. THe Devotions of the Roman Church appear so ridiculous to them that are not born superstitious that the ablest Controvertists of that party have endeavoured to hide them or to make them pass for popular Abuses but as it is impossible that in a great Society all them that write should be of the Secret so there are a great number of Bigots who feared that the Bishops of Meaux and Turnai would with their mildness betray the Church and were minded really to abolish the Ways that enriched it So much the Protestants have seconded the sincerity of these latter and have collected out of their Offices Rites and the most famous Doctours of Rome the true Doctrine of our Church To avoid the contestations commonly raised by such as do not act sincerely The English are advised to translate whole Books of the Doctrine of Rome as the Life of Magdalene of Pazzi the Contemplations of the Life and Glory of the Blessed Virgin and other such like The Abridgment of the Perogatives of St. Ann is one of these Works The time will not be lost that is imployed in making an extract of it it is sufficient that it was ridiculous enough to cause the Effect which the Translator proposed himself it was printed at Paris in 43. with the approbation of the Doctors of Sorbonne and was Dedicated to the Queen Mother Ann of Austria then Regent so that any godly Book could not be more Authentick The Reader will be far more obliged by the taking out of the English Preface the History of St. Ann's Devotions by which may be learned what are the grounds of Monastick Orders and the Authors of Legends The Friars used ways of forming the Genealogies of their King 's and attributing great Deeds of Chivalry that never hapned to their Princes and thought that it became them to be no less liberal to the Predecessors of Iesus Christ. No Antient Author ever spoke of Iachim and of St. Ann who are said to be the Father and Mother of the Blessed Virgin and St. Epiphanius was the first that mentioned it by the by In the succeeding Ages Germain Hyppolitus and Damascenus spoke of them but 't was little or nothing at all and Nicephorus one of the greatest lyers among the Friars made but a very short History of them so that all the Legends are grounded upon two pieces whereof the Falshood is well known by Criticks One is a Letter upon the Birth of the Blessed Lady attributed to St. Ierome the other is the pretended Gospel of St. Iames. As for the first it cannot be precisely determined when it was invented All that can be said is that an old Fabulous Tradition has been the occasion of it There is a feigned Letter of Chromatius and of Heliodoâ—e desiring St. Ierome to Translate the Gospel of St. Matthew out of Hebrew into Latine which Armanius and Virinus said was in his possession and contained the History of the Infancy of the Blessed Virgin and that of our Saviour Ierome begins to excuse himself from it upon the difficulty of the work and because the Apostle did not design to make this Book publick maintaining that he writ it in Hebrew and did not mention a word of it in the common Gospel designing to keep this History from the Peoples Knowledge adding That it was a Secret that ought to be trusted to none but choice Clergy-men that might make the extract of it to Christians That Seleucus was the first that Translated it and mixed several false Doctrines tho not very different from the Truth in what regarded the History and Miracles and for that reason he promis'd them an exact Version of the Original Hebrew There are in these Fables the Maxims and Folly of the Friars which suffice to refute it Besides this Seleucus or Lucius was a Manichee which doubtless was one of the reasons why St. Augustin rejected a Work like this or perhaps it might be the same with that of Seleucus For says he If one did alledge to me the Book of Apocrypha wherein Iachim is said to be the Father of Mary I would not yield to that Authority because that Book is not Canonical Pope Gelasius not content to term the Work Apocryphal calls the Author a Child of the Devil II. The second piece whereon the Legend is founded is not of better Alloy because it is the Gospel of the false St. Iames. William Postel published it first and having Translated it out of Greek into Latin got it printed at Basil in 1552. under the Title of Prot-Evangelion cum Evangelica Historia Sanctae Mariae Evangelistae vita ejus Octavo Some years after Bibliander made Notes upon this Work and this was printed with the other which was not much better under the Title of Orthodox Writing Orthodoxographae If any one is minded to know who William Postel was he may be informed in the first Chapter of the Apology for the Reformers by Mr. Iurieu Henry Stephens that was no Divine but knew that such a Deist as Postell was might be suspected that he had embellished this Work and Casaubon attributed the whole to him However it is this pretended Gospel of St. Iames with many others was condemned in a Council of 70 Bishops held at Rome under Pope Gelasius Nevertheless the Writers of Legends receive them and form new ones as the Book of the Birth of Mary of the childhood of Iesus and the Gospel of St. Ann. The latter may be judged of according to this passage mentioned by Henry Stephens when Iesus was so grown that he could work Joseph employed him to Carpentry and one day having commanded him to saw a piece of Wood he did it without taking notice of the Mark that was to direct him and so made the piece too short Joseph was angry at this and had a mind to beat him and would have done it if Iesus had not lengthened the stick by making Joseph pull at one end whilst he pull'd at the other If the Inventors of those absurd Relations were design'd to dishonour the Christian Religion they could not find a better way the Gospel of the fictitious St. Iames is full of such extravagant Histories and one would think the Inventor had a mind by his Ironique Imitation to ridicule several passages of Scripture and several Miracles of the Old and New Testament among others the History of Abraham and Sarah that of Hanna and her Son Samuel and that of Zachary and Elizabeth And nevertheless it is upon these counterfeit Books and scurrilous Relations that the most part of the Devotions of the Romish Church are founded the pretended St. Iames has consecrated a Feast to St. Ann which is kept the 16 th of Iuly and was ordained by Pope Gregory XIII 1584. Sometime after Sixtus the 5 th founded or at least confirmed a Religious Order called the Maidens of
than he Spoke What has been said of him may be seen Tome 8. p. 228. and Foll of the Vniversal Bibliotheque The Learned have much Disputed to know if there really had been Hereticks who may be named Predestinarians Some believed they were but Semi-Pelagians who turn'd the Sentiments of St. Augustin into Heresie and consequences of 'em into another Name and others have said that really there were some who had indeed drawn from the Doctrine of this Father this consequence That there was no Free-will and consequently that God would not Iudge Men according to their Works Our Author proves there have been Men who maintained these strange Opinions though there was not enough to make a Sect. After that Dr. Stillingfleet returns to St. Germain and Loup who established Academies or Schools in England and who also introduced here the Gallican Liturgy Upon this Subject he seeks for the Origine of the most antient Schools of England and speaks of the Gallican Liturgy which he compares with the Roman He shews finally the Conformity of the English Church of this time with the Antient British Liturgy and concludes that the Non-Conformists are in the wrong to accuse the Episcopal Church of having received its Liturgy from the Roman Church It sufficeth to speak of this briefly because there are almost none but the English who can be curious of these sorts of things V. The same reason obligeth us to make this use of it in respect of the 6th and last Chapter where the Author treats of the fall of the British Churches He sheweth 1. That all Great Britain was never Conquer'd by the Romans and that the Picts and Scots being not subdued made Excursions upon the Britans 2. That what is said of Scotch and Irish Antiquities is no more assured than what Geoffrey of Monmouth hath published of those of England 3. That as soon as the Barbarous Nations of the North had some knowledge of Sciences they would have Histories as they saw the most Polite Nations had and to descend from some Illustrious People such as the Trojans were the Greeks and the Aegyptians whence an Infinity of Fables hath taken birth 4. That the Evils of the British Churches came from their being exposed to the Fury of the Scots and Picts upon the Declining of the Empire of the West which was no more in a way of helping them and that several times there were Walls or Retrenchments made betwixt Scotland and England to preserve the latter from the Incursions of these Barbarous People 5. That the Britans being afterwards divided one of the Parties called to its help the Saxons whose Origine is here sought for that they repented it soon after and that the Britans were obliged to make War against them whereof divers events are described drawn from the Monastick Histories full of Lyes and at the same time very defective 6. That Armorick Britain was Peopled by a British Colony towards the end of the Fourth Age. There it was that Gildas Writ his Letter where he Addresses himself to Five Kings amongst whom England was divided and describes at large the Vices of the Britans to induce them to Repentance Lastly The Bishop of Worcester Relates the manner how the Prelates of England received the Monk Augustin who was sent hither towards the end of the Sixth Age by Gregory Bishop of Rome This Augustin being made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by the Pope desired to have a Conference with the British Bishops to whom he represented that they ought to embrace the Unity of the Catholick Church viz. to submit to him and the Pope All that he could obtain is that they asked time to consult and offered afterwards to Answer him in a greater Assembly There were Seven British Bishops and several Learned Men chiefly of the Monastery of Bangor whereof one named Dinot was Abbot The Result of the Assembly was That the Britans altogether refused to submit to the Church of Rome or to Augustin as their Arch-Bishop It is what Beda whose Authority is indisputable in these matters relates of this Conference It is yet found more at large in a M. S. published in the Collection of Mr. Spelman an Antient Britan in English and in Latin As there have been some objections made against this History and this M S. Dr. Stillingfleet Answers 'em at the end of this Chapter Thence he concludes that the British Churches are in the same case in relation to the Dispute they have with the Bishop of Rome as the Churches of Cyprus were in regard to the Bishop of Antioch who would fain be their Patriarch against their Antient Rights according to which they had a particular Metropolitan As the Council of Ephesus condemned the Bishop of Antioch who would extend too far the limits of his Jurisdiction If the pretentions of the Pope upon England be this day judged by the antient Canons he shall infallibly be condemned for striving to extend his Patriarchship in places where he hath not been acknowledged for above 600 years All the WORKS of James Alting Professor of Divinity in the Academy of Groningen Fifth Vol. in Fol. at Amsterdam Sold by Gerard Borstius 1687. THose that have read the Schilo of this Author his Treatises upon the Sabbath the Conversion of the Iews and his Theological and Philosophical Dissertations will not wonder that Mr. Becker Minister of Amsterdam hath taken care to Print all his Works Posthumâ— It hath been thought that the Style of Mr. Alting which is simple enough and sufficiently disengag'd from the terms of Schools would not be ill received in an Age where neatness is so much loved and wherein great words are no more taken for great things This is what may be judged by a general view of the Subjects to which this Divine hath applyed himself and by an Essay that shall be given here of his Method 1. We find in the First Tome an Analysis and Notes upon the Four first Books of Moses and upon the 24 First Psalms a larger Commentary upon Deuteronomy from the first Chapter until the XIX Vers. 11 and Lessons upon all the Prophet Ieremy The 2d contains besides the Parallel of divers Prophecies of the Old Testament cited in the New very ample Commentaries upon several passages of the Old Testament whose sense is given and whose use is shewn in Religion and Morality The 3d and 4th Volumes comprise Expositions of the same nature upon the whole Epistle to the Romans and divers Texts of the New Testament an Analysis of this Epistle and of that to the Colossians with Lessons upon the Epistle to the Hebrews from the beginning to the Ninth Chapter Vers. 10. In the 5th there are the Dissertations which have been already Printed with a very long Treatise upon the Nature of the Sabbath where 't is shewn it was altogether Evangelick Notes upon the Catechism of Heidelberg a Method of the Didactick Divinity Five Heptads of Theological and Philosophical Dissertations the First
Tiberias did pronounce Ephodeus in his Grammar cap. 5. fol. 35. col 2. speaking of the true Pronunciation of the Hebrew Tongue and that it is unknown at this time he saith And Rabbi Ionah the next Grammarian to R. Iudah hath already written that Resh hath certain peculiar Properties according to the way of the Men of Tiberias for they are more clear or elegant in the Holy Tongue than all the Hebrews The same he repeateth cap. 32. Balmesius in his Grammar under letter F 3. pag. 2. writeth thus And the Tiberian Readers read it like the Pronunciation of Aleph with Shurek but I know not the reason saith he why they so read it speaking of Vau in the beginning of a word before a letter with Sheva Mobile marked which should be pronounced with Shurek but here hath no other sound than a gentle Aleph And of this Pronunciation of Vau as Aleph Aben Ezra saith fol. 135. col 2. I sakooth So have we received of our Fathers one age after another that it should be so pronounced So Kimchi in Miklol fol. 62. a. Again Balmesius saith in letter F 1. pag. 1. speaking of the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth and Ain in the end of words he saith For many Grammarians which I have seen lean upon the Readers of Tiberias who pronounce it as if there were Aleph For Example They read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Misbeach as if it were written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Book entituled Keneh binah fol. 33. â— And in all the Variations or divers Pronunciations of the Points which are often-times divers ways pronounced The Men of Tiberias are clear more accurate and skilful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than all the Hebrews that are in other Countreys In the Book Leviath Chen whose Author is R. Immanuel Son of Iekutiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevontine cap. 3. fol. 5. And although there doth not appear any difference in our present reading between Koph and Caph with Dagesh and between Teth and Tau daggesh'd and between Vau and Beth raphated the Men of Tiberias which were in those days were more expert in our Language than all the Jews They made a difference between them and so they made a difference between the reading of Pathak and Kamets and between Segol and Tsere and between Kibbuez and Shurek Again cap. 18. fol. 19. col 1. where treating of the Pronunciation of the letter Resh he saith In the reading of this letter Resh dageshed and raphated the Men of Tiberias were expert bekiim skilful in those days and in that time And in fol. 105. col 2. treating of the difference that is between divers Letters and Vowels in Verse he saith And we are not skillful in the difference of their Sound or Pronunciation like the Men of Tiberias who were of old time more clear or skilful in the Language than all the Hebrews even as the best Grammarians have testified concerning them Rabbi David Kimchi in Michlol fol. 108. col 2. treating of the letters Begadkephat saith That the Author of the Book Ietsirah hath written Resh with them For he saith there are seven Letters that double as Begadkephrat but the pronouncing of Resh raphated and dageshed we do not hear or sound But I have found saith Kimki in a Book of one Eli the Son of Iudah Hannasir who saith That the sign or difference between Resh dageshed or raphated or hard and gentle belongs only to the Sons of Mesia which is Tiberias for they speak them in their Talk and read them in reading the Scripture and it is in the Mouths of Men Women and Children it departs not from them and without any difference they read and speak Resh Where it should be pronounced hâ—rd there they use to speak or read it with Dagesh and where it should be gentle or soft with Rapha c. Rabbi Iehudah Mulcatus in his Commentary on the Book of Cosri part 2. sect 80. fol. 130. a. on those words of the Author Cosri Or to hasten the reading he saith these words Teach the properties of right Reading which were known to him although they are now strange to us as also many the like are in the reading of the Men of Tiberias which is different from our reading Vid Buxt de Punct Orig. par 1. pag. 24 25. From all which Testimonies it appears saith Buxtorf pag. 25. That the Men of Tiberias were no otherwise famous among the Jews who were but Five hundred or Six hundred years at most after them Then First For their skill at decently reading and pronouncing the Hebrew Tongue Secondly And also for their study and care to preserve the true reading of the Scripture For if they had believed them to have been the Authors of the Points doubtless they would not have passed over that with such negligent silence as not to speak a word about it when they speak of them and of their Commendation Nor can their being praised for Skill und Accuracy in the Punctation suppose them the Authors of it For none need be told that the Inventors of any Art are well acquainted with their own Invention and 't is a slender Encomium to say of such That they understand ther own Invention For if they should not well understand their own Device how should others or who else should Of their Skill and Accuracy Ierom seems to have knowledge alluding thereunto on Gen. 49.21 and that he hired a Iew of Tiberias to teach him to read And as neither He nor the Rabbins ascribe the Invention of the Points to them so the Pointed Bible of Hillel in being long before their time proves the contrary And so much for the Second thing that is What Aben Ezra and the rest of the Rabbins say in Commendation of the Skill and Accuracy of the Tiberian Masorites in the Pronunciation of the Hebrew Tongue and whether what they say of them doth belong unto them as Authors or as Correctors of the Punctation Thirdly The Third thing to be proved is That Aben Ezra doth not ascribe the Invention of the Points to the Masorites because he often differs from them and opposeth them but always follows the Punctation and enjoyns all others so to do As may be seen not only in the places before alledged where he reproves those who charge the Punctator with Errour and saith He hath Pointed right in every place And not only in his Comment on Exod. 34.5 but also in other places he expresseth the same esteem of the Authority and Perfection of the Punctation As for Instance in his Book Tsakooth pag. 179. where he brings Hosea 4.10 They left off to take heed he there saith If we should say so we should thereby accuse Hammappesik Happesukim the Punctator that he did not know the reason of the Accents but far be it from us so to do Chalilah Chalilah And in his Comment on Exod. 6.28 where our Translation ends that Verse as
now see accordingly The Scriptures were always delivered in the Vulgar Tongue of the People of God in Hebrew when they understood Hebrew in Chaldee when they understood Chaldee as parts of Ezra Daniel c. and in Greek when that was understood by them as is the New Testament All sorts are commanded to read and know the Scriptures Wise and Simple Men and Children it being their Rule by which they shall be Judged It was therefore required to be written very plainly as apears in the place mentioned Deut. 27.8 So also Hab. 2.2 And the Lord said Write the Vision and make it PLAIN upon Tables that he may run that readeth it Now it is granted us by most of our Adversaries That the present Hebrew Bible as to the Words and Letters of it are for the main the same which God gave at first These were required to be written very plain and were accordingly so written and kept but without Points they are most dubious most obscure and uncertain therefore they were at first written with Points § 2. The Obscurity of the Text without Points as it hath been evidenced in the Prooemium so also at large it 's demonstrated by Buxtorf de Punct Orig. par 2. cap. 8. Cooper Domus Mosaicae and Wasmuth's Vindiciae where many Instances are produced which evidence its Obscurity without Points As for Example Vau is defective in Verbs Plur. Third Pers. and in the Pronoun Third Pers. which renders the word very dubious as in Gen. 1.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Iosh. 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Deut. 2.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 19.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gen. 26.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zech. 11.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 14.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 22.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and innumerable such like 2. Vau is oft defective where in the Conjugation Hiphil it should be put to supply Iod the first Radical and also 't is wanting as the mark of the Conjugation as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. 32.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 17.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezra 16.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 King 24.7 3. Vau is often omitted where Vau is the second Radical Letter where it ought not to be did not the Points supply it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like 4. So in Nouns Femin Plur. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 5.4 and Gen. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So in others as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 5.12 5. So Iod is oft omitted as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. He is defective in the end as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruth 1.9 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 20. 7. He is oft very ambiguously put for Vau to signifie Shurck or Holem First for Holem as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hab. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 13.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 12.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 42.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iosh. 11.16 So for Shurck as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Buxt de Orig. Punct par 2. cap. 8. These words may be read with Points but without they cannot I never saith he saw any so writing without Points And saith he I can easier read all other Rabbinical Books without Points than the Bible though I never saw them before and yet have read the Bible often If we give up the Points we have little left of the Old Testament worth contending for Grant the Text to be a Nose of Wax of dubious and uncertain Sence and then prove it to be a Rule of Faith and Worship if you can The Old Serpent doth breath deadlier Poyson saith Dr. Broughton against the Authority of God's Word by teaching that the Vowels are not from God Vid. Positions touching the Hebrew Tongue pag. 669. The Law is called a Light and a Lamp but without Points 't would be Darkness it self It must needs therefore have had Points from the first for it was plainly written but this it could not be without either Points or Vowel Letters And yet none pretend to imagine that there ever were any other Vowel Letters in the Bible than there are now and it is now so obscure for want of Vowel Letters or Points that none can understand it in very many places If therefore it were written plainly at first it was written with Points As for Instance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is plainly expressed by the Points only thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Moon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Brick or Pavement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Frankincence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Poplar-tree So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seas So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he praised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was mad And so of Dabar which as it is Pointed hath Eight several Significations As he spake a Pestilence a Bee a Word a Thing and the like innumerable which without Points are most dubious and render the Scripture so as Isa. 24. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Moon shall be Confounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Sun Ashamed Which the LXX read The Brick shall be confounded and the Wall ashamed by the change of a Point So Exod. 32.18 't is not the Voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them that Cry but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them that Sing where the same word expresseth two contrary sences as it is Pointed § 3. Capellus Vind. lib. 2. cap. 8. confesseth the Rabbins are easier read without Points than the Bible but yet the Mishna and Talmuds and Cabalistical Writings are very difficult though understood by some Persons and though the Bible be more difficult yet 't is not altogether impossible to every one Resp. The Mishna c. was written on purpose in such a style as that none but the Jewish Rabbins might understand it but the Law was written that all Men might understand and keep it 2. The Matter being oft purely Divine where there is left no humane help to find the sense as often falls out in Iob Psalms Proverbs Isaiah c. where the Words are Elyptical no where else used without Antecedents and Consequents c. there 't is plainly impossible to understand the Text without Points or immediate inspiration Obj. The same difficulties are in Expounding the Pointed Text as in reading the unpointed but the Ministry serves for one and may so do for the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bo c. If one wou'd have examples of such Rhimes in some modern Poesie he may only consult those who have written of the Spanish Poesies wherein Assonants are called Rhimes which the Rabbins call Passables and the other Consonants But both of 'em have learned from the Arabians the Rules of their Poesie 3. The Number of the Rimes is not â—ixed there are sometimes several of a sort and fewer of another so in Psal. 11 3 5. there are five in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mo which are only separated by two Rhimes in ac of the fourth Verse There are Psalms whose Verses do end almost all in the same Rhime as the Psal. 119. which endeth almost all in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cha The Arabians have also such Poesies whereof we have several examples as the Poem entituled Tagrai which all ends in LI that of abu El-ula which ends all in LA c. The Order of the Rhimes is neither the same in a Psalm but resembles altogether that of our irregular Verses which we dispose as we please It may likewise be that in some places they were satisfied with the Cadence without searching necessarily for a rhime Indeed there are some places in the Psalms where there are no Rhimes found tho' the sense seems to want nothing as at the end of Psal. 111 and 112. There are some modern Tongues and amongst others the Italian and the English where there are very good Verses made without rhime in observing only a certain Cadence 4. The length of Verses is also seldom the same and it seems the Hebrews did not at all matter it If perchance two Verses of the same measure present themselves to their mind they shunned them not but they did not also seek the equality of measure which shows that their Poesie was not very polished 5. As the Hebrews have not long Periods their Verses are seldom long such as are those of the Psalm 119. The others are so short that there are of two Syllables as in our irregular Verses It is perhaps for this reason that they call a Hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mizmor from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zamar which signifies to cut because its Style is extreamly cut and that for to make the Cadence of the Verses to be felt we ought several times to stop at a Period It is true that this Verse signifies to sing in the Piel but the signification of Piel comes from that of Kal. This day with the Arabians who sing their Verses in cutting them into divers lengths zamaria signifies to sing 6. The Poesie of the Hebrews not being very regular cannot but be full of Licenses as to what concerns the Rhimes whereof the greatest according to the Rabbins are those which make different Letters to Rhime but whose Pronunciation is alike Nevertheless as their Poesies were rather made for to rehearse them or to sing them than to read them they did not so much matter to satisfie the Eyes as the Ears So though in reading these Verses one may be offended to see them rhime by different Letters the Ear being not offended thereat they made no difficulty to make use of these Rhimes For example in the Psal. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehgueh rhimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phalgue and in the 5 th Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mischpat rhimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adath Besides the Rhime we also remark in the Verses of the Hebrews the same Cadence which is seen in our rhimed Verses only that the lengths are not so well observed in it as in ours which without this could not be pronounced But they are not absolutely necessary in the Hebrew Verses because commonly they are much shorter than ours and often so short that there can be no cutting off 7. As almost all Nations put Verses sometime in their Poesies which are repeated and which are called in French le refrein We find also of them in the Hebrew Psalms as in Psal. 118. and in Psal. 136. but they have perhaps this in particular that the Verses which are placed between those of the refrein sometimes rhime not together as may be seen in the last of the two Psalms which we have cited 8. They affect sometimes to make their Verses begin by a certain Letter In Psal. 119. the first eight Verses begin by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eight following by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus after one another unto the end of the Alphabet In the 37 th the same thing is remarked only that it is but each Stanza which begins by a Letter of the Alphabet according to the Order they are ranged This made some believe that in some of the Psalms there were Acrostick Verses and indeed it hath been remarked that the first Letters of the Verses of some might form the sense but the irregularity of the Verses hindering one to be alwayes assured that the beginning of each was discovered and it being besides possible that these first Letters form a sense by a pure chance we have dared to determine nothing thereupon 9. It 's needless here to enlarge upon the Style of the Hebrew Poesie because it hath scarcely any thing in particular and it cannot be remarked in general of all Poesies We shall only say that amongst the Elegancies of the Hebrew Poesie one thing hath been found which is common to it with that of the Greeks viz. it borrows words and wayes of speaking of the neighbouring Dialects as from the Chaldaick Tongue Examples may be seen in the Psalms CIII 3 4 5. CXVI 7 I2 where there are found Chaldean suffixes There is a very remarkable one in Psal. 11. whereof mention shall be made hereafter This Observations is very important because it serves for the explication of divers places and to Correct some Faults of Copyers which hinder the Rhime to be found which appeareth every where else These Rules being established I must relate here some other particular Proofs which shall serve to confirm the general ones whereof I have made use to shew that the Poesie of the Hebrews might have been like the ancient Poesie of the Arabians IV. Some Learned Men have made good remarks in the Poetical Books of the Old Testament of rhimed Verses in divers places but they believed that pure chance had produced them without any Pains taken by the Sacred Writers thereabouts 1. For to prove clearly that they are mistaken it would be necessary for me to produce here a Work which I have made upon the Psalms where they might be seen reduced into rhimed Verses and where they are disposed so that in casting an Eye on them one may be assured of the truth of the Hypothesis which we have advanced I have tryed the same thing upon divers places of the other Poetical Books and the Hymns which are in the Pentateuch and the Iudges It succeeded with me happily enough though
there are some Places whereof I could never come to an end for reasons which I shall mark hereafter I do not believe that after this one can imagine that these Rhimes were found by chance in the Poesies of the ancient Hebrews It would be impossible for them not to take Notice thereof and if they did not perceive it why did they rhime every where if it was not for the sake of their Poesie We shall give an Example of it at the end of this Essay 2. Indeed it is remarked in several places that the same words are repeated without necessity to Rhime with themselves as hatelouhou in Psal. 150. and a great Number which cannot be related here 3. Besides this there are many words which rhime together without having a particular connexion with the sense So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abad he is perished rhimes in divers places with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad alwayes This sheweth clearly that it is not chance nor the necessity of expression which have placed these words near one another but the design of making them to rhime otherwise they would not be found to rhime so often together 4. There is scarcely any place seen where a rhime hath not produced such another and often times two or three the Phrase not necessarily requiring them as the Rhime MO in Psal. 2. whereof I shall put here seven Verses in Latin Characters tho' they are but three in the Psalm Eth mosrothe MO Venaschliche mimmennou abothe MO Ioscheb baschamajim jisch AK Adonei jila AG La MO Az jedabber ele MO Bappho oubacharono jebahale MO. I believe it cannot be doubted that the Author of this Psalm hath affected these Rhimes in MO for the third was in no wise necessary it sufficed to say jilAG vajedabber eleMO and if it was not even in that the Poesie consisted these Rhimes must have been shunned which without this would extreamly offend the Ears in making use of the suffix HEM Besides this we shall find plain Examples of this Truth in Psal. 118. 4. There are places where no Rhime is in the Hebrew Text and where also the sence is very difficult and the order of the words contrary to the genius of the Hebrew Tongue But in putting these words again in their Natural Order according to the construction where they ought to be the sence of them becomes not only fine and clear but also the Rhime very good whence we have reason to conclude that these words had been transposed and that since the rhime agrees with the sense it is an Argument that it was sought after Here is word for word the sense of the 5 th and 6 th Verses of Psal. 9. according to the Order they are in this day Thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast blotted out THEIR Names for ever O thou Enemy desolations are come so a perpetual end and thou hast demolished the Cities their memory is perished with them they a Feminine or they a Masculine All the World may see the difficulty of this Construction but those who understand Hebrew may yet much better be assured thereof in reading the Original Neither can the Rhime be found in this place but in making some slight Changes which may be supported by other paralel Passages and in re-establishing the Rhime these words form a sense clear and easie and are found in a regular construction Thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast blotted out their Name for ever the Enemy is perished the Streets and the Cities are ruined for ever thou hast destroyed them and their memory In these words is a clear sense which is but darkly represented in the preceding ones Indeed it hath been constantly remarked that in the most obscure places it is the hardest to find the Rhime which makes us reasonably to believe that the obscurity comes from some transposition or from some word forgotten or a letter omitted without which the Rhime cannot be found On the contrary the sense is easie almost every where where the Rhimes are easily found If the brevity which I am to keep here admitted me I could give a sufficient Number of Examples but we shall only bring one at the beginning of the 16 th Psalm which the Version of Geneva hath rendered thus in supplying the words which are in Roman Characters Keep me O mighty God for I have trusted in thee O my Soul thou hast said to God thou art the Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints who are on the Earth and to the excellent in whom I take all my delight The sorrows of those who run after another God shall be multiplyed c. The sense is obscure enough and the words are very difficult in spite of the Supplements which Interpreters have made herein but the difficulty is yet more sensible in the Hebrew by reason of the Punctuation of some words and of some letters which must be ncessarily changed or added And this Passage hath given a very great labour to Interpreters tho'we have seen none of them who hath happily gone through it It is thought it should be translated thus after having made the necessary changes in it Keep me O God for I have hoped in thee I have said to God thou art the Lord my whole trust is in thee Men have gone in multitudes to the Effeminate Cynaedi who are in thy Countrey great Persons put all their delight in them they have eagerly multiplyed their Idols with another God c. We shall not undertake to give an account of this Version for fear of being too long it is enough for the present that in the supposition that this Version is just People do know that the Rhime is excellent and that it is not otherwise to be found therein 5. Those who have some knowledge in the Criticks of the Old Testament know that in divers places there are found words in the Version of the LXX which are not in the Hebrew There are some in the Psalms as well as in the other Books but what is remarkable is that in some of these places the Hebrew Text transmitteth not necessary Rhimes and that if the words be added which are in the Greek Version the Rhime is found there By this we see there these words had been omitted by the Copyers in the Hebrew and that they ought to be put there again So in Psal. 1.4 the LXX have twice put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not so whereas this Phrase is but once in our present Originals But it hath been discovered by means of the Rhime that it ought to be twice there Here is yet another more remarkable place which in Psal. 7.12 where there is according to the Hebrew God is a just Iudge and a God who is angry every day There can be no Rhime found in this place and this description of Divine Justice is not in the ordinary Terms of Sacred Authors who describe God not only extreamly patient but also
Psalms with the same Psalm as it is related in ch 22. of the 2 d. Book of Samuel Those who can read Hebrew may remark there more than fifty examples of Omissions of Transpositions or of words taken one for the other because of the resemblance of some Letters 5. Lewis Cappel hath treated on this matter with so much Care in his Sacred Criticks that it would be useless to stop at it after him He hath also shewn that the Point Vowels of the Hebrews are of the Invention of the Masorites and that they have not Pointed well some places which is also one of the Reasons for which it hath been hard to discover the Secret of the Poesie of the Hebrews For Example in the first Verse of the Psalms they have put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 halach for holech which lost the rhime It is true one ought not to swerve from their Punctation without reason and that if there are formed some rhimes in Pointing otherwise it is good to give some Example thereof as may be done concerning the Rhime whereof we speak and even of a great many more Moreover the true sound of divers Vowels is not well known as of the Kamets magnum which seems to have been pronounced as an O perhaps sometimes as an A just as the Faâ—ha and the Damme of the Arabians have each two sounds which can only be known by Use in divers obvious places The Masorites have purposely changed the Punctation of some words as that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes into the Psalms very often and whose true Pronunciation must be necessarily known to discover the Rhime Cappel hath shewn that it ought to be pronounced Iahvoh and it hath been acknowledged by the necessity of the Rhime in seral places of the Psalms Thereby we see that the Rhimes have been necessarily very much disordered by the Punctation of the Masorites and the same thing ought to be observed concerning the Cadence They have diminished or augmented the Number of Syllables in putting a Scheva moveable or quiescent under certain Syllables which were otherwise Pointed in times past as appears by an infinity of proper Names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schlomo for schalamo as divers Learned Men have already remarked These difficulties which have until now hindered the discovery of the Cadence and Rhimes of the Hebrew Verses hinder also our hopes of re-establishing them perfectly for although they may be surmounted in part no man can promise himself without a ridiculous temerity to surmount them all But it sufficeth I think to shew by clear places which are in great Number what may be supposed of those which we grant we cannot well go through There are places in the Fragments which remain amongst us of the ancient Dramatique Authors both Greeks and Latins which shew evidently what sort of Verses they used though in some places it is not possible to re-establish them We therefore do declare that we in no wise do flatter our selves of having or of being able to put in their true Order all the Poesies of Holy Writ But it may be said that it 's believed we may apply to three quarters of these Poesies the Rulâ—s which we have given and convince after a sensible manner those who may doubt thâ—reof 6. We have nothing more to remark hereupon except one thing which comes not from the difficulty of the Hebrew Poesie in it self as the precedent but from a false Judgment which some Ancients have made on this subject which is that knowing no other Poesie but that of the Greeks and Latins they have falsly judged that that of the Hebrews should resemble it It is a Fault which St. Ierom hath committed as may be seen by what he saith on 't in his Preface upon Iob and elsewhere 'T is true 't is not he that speaks thus the first he cites Origen and Eusebius who had said the same thing as he and the last could defend themselves by the Authority of Philo and Iosephus This Historian assureth that the Song of Moses which is in the 15 th of Exodus is in Hexameter Verses But there is nothing so far from truth and it is not the only Mark which Iosephus hath given that he understood but very little the Hebrew of Scripture no more than Philo. It may be also he spoke thus to accommodate himself with the Heathens whose Sacred Hymns were ordinarily in Hexameter Verses as appears by those which are attributed to Homer and by those of Callimachus Others have already marked in divers places where this Author accommodates himself to the relish and Opinions of the Pagans but whether it be through ignorance in the Hebrew or to make himself understood by the Pagans that Iosephus hath spoken thus It 's certain there is no Hexametrum in Moses as those who know a little Hebrew and know how to scan Hexameter Verses may assure themselves On the contrary all this Song was disposed into pretty good rhimes and it might be published so if it were needful St. Ierom who found Lyrick Verses in the Psalms seems to be of this Opinion because others had said it before him For it was the Custom to Copy Origen without too much examining if what he Copyed was true or not as he confesseth himself Some Learned Men have notwithstanding essayed to excuse him and amongst others Steuchus and Cappel but it seems it were better to grant downright that he was mistaken herein as in several other things not being able in no wise to pass for an exact Author and one who saith nothing but after a mature examination 7. What we have said of the Ignorance of Iosephus and Philo and what hath been advanced of the Errors of the Copyers supposeth a thing which we think should be marked here more distinctly for to take away the scruples which may arise from thence in the mind of Persons who have only a superficial Knowledge of the Criticks of Holy Writ viz. People imagine commonly that the ancient Hebrews had a very great Care of their Books and that the Jews have never discontinued to Study with application to the Hebrew Tongue thence it 's concluded that the Originals which we have now have been so well preserved and transcribed by so able men that the very New Testament is not almost so Correct as the Old But these Prejudices will be laid aside which are founded upon nothing else but the Authority of the modern Jews and upon some reasons of Meâ—â—physicks if we consider with Attention these six things First The Law of Moses hath almost never been observed with any exactness by the Jews as their History and the reproaches the Prophets use against them thereupon do clearly shew it So although Moses had Ordered the Kings to have always a Copy of the Law for their Instruction this Law was so little observed that Iosias â—fter having reigned eighteen Years knew not what the Book of the Law contained see 2 King
22.10 It appears by this History that the Copy which was kept in the Temple was not to be found and that it was not read as it should have been whence it may easily be concluded that the Jews had no great Care for their Books in that time Secondly Though several Ancients have said that Esdras re-established the Sacred Books which had been neglected during the Captivity of Babylon and formed thereof a Volume which was preserved from that time in the state wherein it is yet if the Genealogies be examined carefully which are in the Book of Esdras there will be Omissions found in it which can only come from the Negligence of the Copyers as that of Ch. 7.3 where there are three generations omitted in the Genealogy of Esdras There is moreover so great a diversity of Calculation betwixt the Books of Esdras and Nehemiah touching the Number of those who returned from the Captivity that there is no means of resolving this difficulty but in saying that the Copyers have not been so exact as they should in describing these Books Thirdly We ought to remark that since that time Hebrew was no more spoken but Chaldean amongst the Jews so that the Hebrew Tongue could not be known but is Studying it In those Ages they had not opportunity to Study a dead Tongue by those assistances which have been invented since seeing there were neither Dictionaries nor Grammars and it was but by an Oral Tradition that the Knowledge thereof was preserved as the Jews have also done several Ages It is manifest that it was impossible to acquire by this means an exact Knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue for without a fixed Grammar one is mistaken at every moment in the Construction of words and without a Dictionary one necessarily forgets the signification of an infinity of terms and chiefly of those which are but once in Scripture or whose sense is not clearly determined by the sequel Fourthly It must be acknowledged that the Hebrews had not at that time the Use of Points so that retaining the Pronunciation of the words of the old Hebrew Tongue but by heart it was impossible but a great deal of Changes should happen therein Lewis Cappel hath clearly proved the one and the other in his Treatise of the Points of the Hebrews and in his Sacred Criticks Fifthly If some Books of the Hebrew Text be compared with the Version of the LXX it will be found that these Interpreters have Translated an infinity of places by guessing without knowing well the meaning of the terms which they Translated that they went ill enough through the hard places where they have made in their Version nothing but pure gallimaâ—fry that they have not often understood the Construction of the words that finally either they had a Copy written very neglectfully or that they have unseasonably taken some words for other some in a very great Number of places I know full well that Learned Men have endeavour'd to excuse some of their Faults and that they have even shewn that they were often censur'd unreasonably but its certain there is an infinity of unexcusable Faults and its what may be clearly seen in the Critical Notes of Lewis Cappel which are now in the Press where he hath compared the Version of the LXX with the Hebrew As he acknowledgeth justly that much light may be drawn from this Version that its manner of reading is sometimes the best and that the Copyers have done it much wrong he remarks so great a Number of absurdities in it that it is impossible but to doubt that the Copy whereof they made use was not of the best nor they very skilfull in the Hebrew Tongue Notwithstanding the Jews used this Version before the coming of Jesus Christ and the respect they had for it sheweth clearly that they had extreamly neglected the Study of the Holy Tongue Sixthly The Study of the Jews of that time and in the following Ages consisted only in the Ceremonial Law Tradition and Allegories nothing being remarked in their Writings which may make one suspect that they were skilfull in Grammatical Knowledge and Criticks if it be lawfull to speak thus of the Hebrew Tongue It is seen even in the time of St. Ierom they had no exact Grammar because in his Version he often offends against the common and undoubted Rules and commits the same Faults which have been remarked in the LXX particularly in the difficult places he hath commonly no regard to any Construction and draweth himself out of trouble by some obscure Phrase The Admirers of St. Ierom and the LXX will find perhaps these Terms somewhat bold but in facts as clear as the day why should not things be called by their Names It 's needless to extend further upon this matter because what we have said sufficeth to make it understood why the secrecy of the Hebrew Poesie hath been so long hidden If any one should draw any ill consequence from the Principles we have set down we declare we acknowledge none of these consequences and those who may believe these consequencâ—s are well drawn are desired to consult the two Works of Cappel who hath been already cited several times where he hath shewn that Religion can only draw great advantages from the Disquisitions of Criticks which some Persons either malicious or unskilfull have unseasonably endeavour'd to decry In matters of Fact as those are History ought to be consulted as also ancient Monuments and we ought to build thereupon and not continually to reason and then to contradict History because it is not conformable to these Arguments VII That the Reader might see an Essay of the Poesie of the Hebrews we have chosen Psal. CL. which is short and which is visibly in rhime and it hath been put into a Tune proper to the words as we have already Noted As to what concerns the Version in French Verses the Author was satisfied to keep the sense in general and the Number of Syllables without sticking too much to the words because he would but give an example of a Poesie like to that of the Hebrews So the Names of the Instruments which are in the French Verses answer not to those of the Hebrew Verses but they agree better amongst themselves and are chosen according to the Rules of our Musick It only remains to join some remarks here upon the Hebrew Verses of this Psalm and upon the French Version in Prose we shall show thereby both the Truth of what hath been said of the Hebrew Poesie and what could be done upon the Psalms if we undertook to make Notes upon this Book PSALM CL. Disposed according to the Rhimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Examples to prove what we have advanced of the Verses of the Hebrews not but that we might draw a great Number of them but the brevity in which we were bounded to be included hath hindered us to bring more The Reader then ought to be assured that if it was needfull we could have produced a far greater Number The second thing is that we have not chosen Psal. 150. because we thought we have gone through it better than in most of the others but simply because it is short and that one may in some wise conjecture what Tune it might have had LOu ez le Dieu des Dieux Que sa majes té soit be ni e Sa pu issance est in fi ni-e Peuples réve rez l'en tous lieux Chantres entonnez des Airs U nis sez u nis sez pardesaints concerts La Trompet te le Haut bo is la Muzet te Le Cornet l'Orgue le Bas son Et que la Flûte au doux son Leur réponde Qu'en ce beau jour Tout le monde tout le monde tout le monde chant à son tour tour N. De Rosier We have given this CL th Psalm in the French Version as we found it and have added this English Version which bearing the same quantity of Syllables is also applicable to the same Musical Composure And as the French took a little Liberty as may be seen from the former Translation of this Psalm just after the Hebrew so have we only instead of their repetition at the last we have made one Verse in a proportionable length That Holy God whose might is hurld Throughout this vast material World Praise him Oh Praise ye him each hour Extol his great his mighty Power Awake ye Harps ye Timbrels sing Eternal Praises to this King Let Trumpets raise Their Noblest Accents to his Praise Drums Organs Violins and Lutes Cymbals String'd Instruments and Flutes Shall all combine To Praise the Lord. Let all the Vniverse in this great Chorus join PRAISE YE THE LORD Seldeni Otia Theologica c. at Amsterdam in quatuor Libris THis Work is very Curious and very agreeable to those that don't care for the trouble of gathering dispers'd Materials together The Author who is very Learned and has read much spares them the trouble and gives them his Opinion as well as that of many others upon a great Number of Critical Questions in Divinity Thus I ought to call the Subject of this great Treatise For altho' he there explains some places of Divinity generally receiv'd he does it not after the way of the Schools he very ingeniously discourses upon sacred and prophane Antiquity Besides that the generality of the Examinations entirely respect certain Persons or matters of Fact which the Scripture speaks of or of certain things which are different from common receiv'd Notions in Divinity As to what regards the Sentiments of the Author we ought to acknowledge this on his behalf that he proposes them with much modesty and makes use of that honest liberty which Men of Learning may safely do He is very exact in citing those that he borrows any thing from and desires the Reader not to take this exactness as an Ostentation of his Learning which certainly is a better way than barely to cite such Authors as are serviceable to him He divides his Work into four Parts which in all contain forty one Dissertations in each of which many different Subjects are Treated on as happens in Persons who know much or who wou'd divert the Reader with variety of Objects We shou'd almost make a Book it self if we shou'd speak to every one of the Dissertations It shall suffice to give the Analysis of the first where it is examined who was the first Writer and a Judgment may be made of the rest by this Piece The first thing this Author does is to relate the Dispute formerly rais'd amongst the Doctors concerning the Prophecy of Enoch which the Apostle St. Iude makes mention of Some said this Patriarch's Prophecy was committed to Writing others maintain the contrary many Fathers and especially St. Augustin was of the first Opinion they often spoke of the Book of Enoch Some have made no difficulty to hold it as Canonical and wou'd prove by it that the Angels begat the Giants by the Commerce they had with Women There are some which say the Prophecy of Enoch contained four thousand and eighty two Lines and that it spoke of all that shou'd happen to the Posterity of the Patriarchs of the Crimes and Chastisements of the Iews of the Death that they shou'd make the Messiah suffer of their being dispersed through all the World and of the second Coming of Jesus Christ to judge Mankind They also pretended they found many Mathematical Opinions and that Noah had taken a great deal of Care to secure this Work in the Ark. After that the Author relates also many more ridiculous Fancies some have said that the Angel Raziel Tutor to Adam gave him a Book containing all Sciences and that after he was put out of the Garden of Eden he had it again suffering him to touch it at his humble Entreaties Others say that Adam did not receive this Book 'till after he had sinned then having besought God Almighty to grant him some small Consolation in the unhappy State he had reduced himself to they say that three days after he had thus begg'd of God the Angel Raziel brought him a Book which discovered to him all the Secrets of Nature the Power how to Command both good and bad Angels and the four parts of the Earth of Interpreting Dreams and Prodigies and foretelling whatsoever was to happen in the time to come They say also that this Book pass'd from Father to Son 'till it fell into the Hands of Solomon and that it gave to this learned Prince the Virtue of Building the Temple by means of the Worm Zamir without making use of any Instrument of Iron Mr. Selden afterwards speaks of those two Celebrated Pillars that some say the Successors of Seth built to engrave upon them the Discoveries that they made in the Sciences He also speaks of the suppositious Books of Enoch and Noah that Postulus forg'd in the last Age of the Book that Philo makes mention of as Abraham's which was Translated from Hebrew into Latin by Ritangelius of the Book that is entituled The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and the Fable of the Rabbini who said God writ his Law two thousand Years before the Creation of the World He might have added to all these Fabulous Works the Testament of Iacob the Ladder of Iacob which was a Book very much esteem'd amongst certain Hereticks call'd Ebionites the Books of Enoch upon the Elements and some other Philosophical Subjects those of Noah upon the Mathematicks and Sacred Ceremonies those that they attributed to Abraham teaching Philosophy in the Valley of Mamre to those he lead against the five
his Remarks he says that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essence is plainly to be understood in this place for that of Person but that Beryl was mistaken when he said that Jesus Christ had no Personality before his Incarnation yet he might reasonably maintain that he had the same Divinity with his Father since if any other had been proper to him alone there would have been more Gods than one By this may be seen that it is not always very easie to apprehend the Opinion of the Ancients upon difficult things and above all when they are related by their Adversaries What Dr. Cave observes a little further is more pertinent to Origen's case Origen was Sixty Years old and ceased not nevertheless to take pains at that time it was that he composed this Book against Celsus He writ also about the same time Letters to the Emperor Philip and to his Empress which gave occasion to some to believe tho' without any reason that he was a Christian He also applied himself to confute certain Hereticks who maintain'd that the Soul died with the Body to rise again with it and the Helcesaites who were a kind of Gnosticks and whose Errors were stifled in the very beginning Decius succeeded Philip who violently persecuted the Christians and in whose Reign Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem as Dr. Cave relates in his History died in Prison Origen was also imprisoned with him and suffered much thereby but escaped his own Death by that of Decius He at last died at Tyre being Sixty nine Years of Age in the Year of our Lord 254. in the first of Valerius as our Author has made appear against some Ancients who were deceived therein He was buried in a Church at Tyre among the Ruins of which his Sepulchre is yet to be seen according to the Relation of some Travellers Dr. Cave afterwards makes an Eloge of the good Works and Learning of Origen He was of an Extraordinary Sobriety and so little desirous of Riches that he many times refused Presents that Rich Persons offered him He even at the end of his Life sold his Library to maintain him and sold it upon this Condition that the Purchaser should give him four Oboles that is to say five Pence a day during his Life The extraordinary Pains which he took for many Years procured him the Names of Adamantinus and Chalkenterus that is of Steel and Brass He assures us that he wrote Six thousand Volumes which appears impossible except we make a Volume of each of his Homilies and Letters if so we may reconcile St. Ierom and Ruffinus who have contented very hotly about it To add the Judgment of the Heathens to that of the Christians about Origen I shall relate here at length a Passage of Porphyry of which Dr. Cave has given us the Sense It is to be found in the sixth Book of Eusebius Cap. 19. what this Great Philosopher says of Origen in a Work of his against the Holy Scripture Some have chose rather to seek Solutions of the difficult Writings of the Iews than to abandon them and have been oblig'd to put such Interpretations as have contradicted themselves and even agree not with their very Writings which includes not so much the Defence of these strange Writers as Advantagious Thoughts of their own Opinions for after having spoken those things in Pompous Terms which Moses gives the clearest Relation of in the World they esteem'd them as Enigma's and Enthusiastically maintain that they ought to be receiv'd as full of hidden Mysteries and they propose not their Explications till after they have confounded their Auditors with their Lofty Language And in a few words a Man that I have known being also very Young may serve me for an Example 'T is Origen who was then in great Esteem and is so-still because of the Works that he hath left behind him c. As to what regards his Life he was a Christian and liv'd and obey'd the Laws of the Empire But as for his Opinions and Sentiments touching Divinity he reason'd in the Greek and maintain'd strange Fables by Principles of the Greek Philosophers He afterwards incessantly read the Writings of Plato Numerius Cronius Apollophanus Longinus Moderatus and of many more famous Pythagoreans he also studied the Lives of Cherimon a Stoick Pholosopher and of Cornutus of whom having learnt the Allegorical manner of explaining the Mysteris of the Greeks he made use of it to his own purpose in interpreting the Writings of the Jews Dr. Cave thinks that Porphyry was not wholly mistaken in accusing Origen for having learned of the Heathens the Method of turning all into Allegory which without doubt did prejudice more as to Religion than he could Convert But one may also suppose that Origen was perswaded to the Allegorical Method of Interpreting the Scripture as much by the Example of Philo and the ancient Iews as by that of the Heathen Philosophers See the Fourth Tome of the French Bibl. p. 528. Our Author afterwards shews Erasmus's Judgment upon Origen which is extremely advantagious to him he hath not according to Erasmus a bombast Style like to St. Hillary nor Silla with too far-fetch'd Ornaments as is St. Ierome nor overcharg'd with Rhetorick and Points like to St. Ambrose nor sharp Picquant and full of old Words like to Tertullian Neither too exact nor too periodical as is St. Gregory Nazianzen nor too full of digressions and abrupt Periods like St. Austin but always lively and natural Dr. Cave finds nothing to contradict the Judgment of Erasmus except where he says he believes Erasmus is deceived when he takes Origen to be concise and short since he hath been reproached with quite contrary defects As for the Errors of Origen he directs his Reader to the Originiana of Mr. Huet the present Bishop of Sâ—issons and to an English Discourse Printed at London 1661. in quarto where we make use says he of all the Advantages that can be drawn from Wit Reason and Eloquence to justifie Origen It is entitled a Letter of Resolution concerning Origen and the Choice of his Opinions To which may be added the Origenes defensus of the Jesuit Holloix Many great Men have formerly made Apologies for Origen and among others Pamphilus Martyr and Eusebius but they are all lost Nevertheless we may draw from the Ancients some general Remarks which may render him more excusable 1. He had written many things not dogmatically and to Remark that he had thereupon determin'd his own Sentiments but only for Exercise as he Witnesses of himself in divers Places of his Book of Principles which is the most critical of all his Pieces 2. In the heat of dispute sometimes he would to the utmost extremity oppose the Opinions of his Adversary which he disputed with although in effect he approved not of this immoderate way of Proceeding And this is what happened to Origen as some say in his Disputation against Sabellicus where sometimes he spoke as if
and not to assist at any Prayer Therefore this second kind of Catechumens were called Hearers 3. But those to whom leave was given to assist at publick Prayers until the Consecration of the Eucharist and to Kneel to receive the Benediction of the Bishop bear the name of Prostrates 4. When they were found sufficiently instructed to receive Baptism they were permitted to demand it and to give their names to be admitted thereto and they were then called Competents or if their demand was accepted of Chosen and Enlightned These are all the Degrees that can be distinguished amongst the Catechumens But commonly the Fathers without stopping at these Distinctions call'd them the Hearers and the Prostrated when as they give the name of Competents and Enlightned to those that were in a Condito receive Baptism Which relate well enough to the Mystes and Epoptes of the Mysteries of Ceres As Tradition was not so clear against the Arians as against the Hereticks of the first Ages the Fathers who lived after the Council of Nice studied Scripture more than before because the strength of the the Dispute run upon the Sense of divers Passages for the Exposition of which they had recourse to the Greek of the New Testament as to the Original The holy Books were then the only Rule of Faith and the Writings of Doctors that were dead before the Contestations of Arianism were considered only as Human Testimonies where the Doctrin of their time might be learned The least thing ought not to be taught saith Cyril of Ierusalem according to the Relation of Mr. du Pin touching Divine Mysteries that cannot be established by Testimonies of Scripture Even believe not what I say to you if I do not prove it by Holy Scripture The Letters of St. Basil which may be of very great help to those that would know throughly the Ecclesiastical History of that time are placed without any order as well as the Epistles of Cicero and the most part of the ancient Works of this Nature The Author promises us a Translation thereof in French and Latin with Notes in the mean time he gives here divers Extracts of these Letters disposed according to the order of times There are several of them that bear evident Characters of being Supposititious as the 203 with this Title to Iulian the Apostate Would St. Basil saith Mr. du Pin have directed him a Letter with this Epithet This Letter besides is not like the Style of this Father it is only a Profession of Faith to which is added the Invocation of Saints and the Worship of Images whoever heard that this was put in the Professions of the first Ages The Author of this Letter saith that he Honours and Adores the Images of Saints because it 's an Apostolical Tradition Did St. Basil speak thus and is it not visible that this Letter is the Work of some Greek who lived since the seventh Council For the same reason he rejects a Work which is attributed to St. Athanasius and Entituled The Narration of the Passion of the Image of Iesus Christ in the City of Berytus In the CCCXCI Letter answering to divers Questions that Amphilocus Bishop of Iconium had put to him he Expounds this Passage That no Body knows the Day of Iudgment but the Father after this manner that the Father knows it by himself because he is the Source and Principle of this Knowledge whereas the Son receives it from the Father as it is said in the same Sense That there is only God who is Good p. 517. In the CCCCX Letter he saith that we ought to be contented with the Faith we have made Profession of in our Baptism to keep to the Terms of the Holy Scripture and shun all new Expressions because our Faith depends not upon these Terms but the Orthodox Doctrin Of all the Fathers of the Fourth Age there was none more moderate nor perhaps a Man of more Worth than Gregory of Nazianze In the Apology he made for his Retreat into Pontus when he was going to be made Bishop he pathetically describes the Disorders of his time Where the Priests were like the People After that he deplores the Unhappiness of the Catholicks who were divided upon unprofitable Questions or such as were of small Consequence He says that in the same time when Faith is in dispute we are oblig'd to separate our selves from those that teach Impiety and to suffer any thing rather than approve on 't but that it 's a Folly to break Union and excite troubles for Questions that are not of Faith In his Oration against the Emperor Iulian this same Father makes a Digression upon the Mildness that the Christians have kept when they were Potent and opposes it to the Cruelties the Pagans have exercised There was a time say he to the Heathens that we have had the Authority as well as you but what have we done to those of your Religion that comes near what you have made the Christians suffer Have we taken away your Liberty Have we perswaded Governors to condemn you to Torments Have we attempted the Life of any Have we even put any from the Magistracy and Employments In a word have we done against you any thing that has given you Cause to make us suffer I do not conceive saith Mr. du Pin hereupon how St. Gregory of Nazianze can reconcile all these Maxims with what he hath just now said that Constantius had done very ill to leave the Empire to Iulian because he was an Enemy to the Christian Religion and that he would persecute it maintaining that in that Constantius had made a very ill use of his Mildness and Bounty As to the purpose of Constantius whilst Hilary of Poictiers calls him Antichrist and speaks a thousand other injuries against him Gregory of Nazianzen excuseth this Emperor upon the Subject of Arianism He casts the whole Fault upon the Great Men of the Court and even pretends that after his death Angelical Voices were heard that celebrated his Praises In the Funeral Speech of his Brother Cesarius he saith That he was informed by the Discourses of Learned Men that Souls that are Holy and acceptable to God being delivered from the Bonds of the Body feel an ineffable Joy and Pleasure in considering the Beatitude they are one day to receive that they go strait to God and that they already know as 't were in a Representation and Image the Beatitude they will receive after the Resurrection of the Body In his fifty third Poem he numbers holy Books exactly as the Protestants do only he doth not put the Apocalypse in the Canon of the New Testament otherwise this Bishop had a very ill Opinion of the Councils for in his LV Letter he declares that he fears all the Ecclesiastical Assemblies because he never saw the End of any Council which had been happy and which had not rather encreased their Misfortunes than diminished them
concerning the Fauns and Satyrs which this Father saith kept with St. Anthony and prayed him to obtain Mercy from God for them whom they knew to be come for the Salvation of the World The Hebrews call a Dog 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * c. 10. Châ—lebb And because St. Ierome expounded the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chelubb Amos 8.1 2. by that of Uncimus Bochart thought that a Dog was called Chelebb because it's Teeth are like so many Hooks which do not let go their hold Mr. Majus saith to that that there are other Animals who have as good Teeth as Dogs and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chelubb also signifies a Cage or a Basket wherein Birds or Fruit are kept and Chelebb and Chelubb may both come very well from one Root which is lost viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chelebb which should signifie to keep if one had not rather derive it from Chelabb as he adds and which comes from the Arabick Chalaba to be mad or rage Being to treat of wild beasts in the Second Section of this Book he begins with Lyons He refutes after Bochart the Opinion of them who pretend that the six or seven Hebrew names of Lyon do mark as many different Ages of this Animal but they do not yield to this Learned Man that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ari or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arieth comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raab to See It 's believed that the common Opinion which derives Ariâ—th from Arab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the best because it s pretended that this word doth not simply signifie to gather Fruits but also to cut or break with violence or to tear off and they endeavour to prove it by Ps. 80.13 and the Explication of R. D. Kimchi upon Ps. 22. 17. which is refuted in the Chapter of the Panther in Explaining a passage of Hosea 13.7 and there is mention made of the opinion of Mr. Meiboom upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he Interprets Erectus as the Panther which stands Erect in the way to throw himself upon Passengers And his Wit is much commended his Judgment and 3 Essays of the New Explication of the Old Testament which he hath published tho' some are not of his opinion in Relation to Transposition which he finds in the Book of Iob Ch. 31. Our Author pretends that the Leopard is a different Beast from the Panther which oweth his birth to the She Lyon and Male Panther and that tho' the name of Leopard was not invented till three Ages after Christ them that have lived before have notwithstanding spoken of such Animals under the name of Parde as Pliny and Philostratus Claudian describes 'em so in these Verses under the same Name Obvia fulminci propcrant ad vulnera Pardi Semine permixto geniti cum forté Leana Nobiliorem uterum viridis corrupit Adulter Hi maculis patrem referunt robore matrem The 4 th Chapter treats of the Came-Leopard or Giraffe the 5 th of the Tyger the 6 th of the Lynse These are Beasts which are not mentioned in Holy Writ but are mentioned by Translators who understood it not well Here is a mention of the Shape and Qualities of these Animals And several Histories and Stories are drawn from Baldaeus Belon Kirchar Bonzius from Iohnston and chiefly from Dapper As the description of Africk will soon appear in France by the Flemish Geographer and as we have hopes of having all the other Volumes of this Author we will pass over several Histories which Mr. Majus doth mention Here is one taken out of Iohnston which is like those which are alledged in the Second Extract of Grotius P. 152 153. An Ethiopian dreaming at Sea that a Tyger was ready to devour him went next night to hide himself in the Prow but this Precaution did not avail him for the Vessel being then at Anchor not far from the Coast a Tyger entred and chose out this unfortunate Negro and tore him in pieces not touching any of the Europeans The Wolf the Hyena and the Ihoes take up the three following Chapters Bochart deriveth the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeebb from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zaab of Gold but Mr. Majus derives it from the Arabick word Zaaba or Daaba to frighten whence is formed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dib a Wolf and perhaps the German Dieb a Thief The Hyena has not Legs so long as those of a Wolf but its Body is as big and its Hair rougher and the Body spotted with divers colours It 's said that there are a kind of Beasts in Spain which are called Ginetts which resemble the Hyena Thaes is a Greek word which is the name of several little Beasts less than Wolves of a yellow colour the Hebrew call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsiim See Bochart They go in great Troops and do no harm to Men only they enter Houses at night and eat all they like They are thought to be very cunning Beasts but it seems this craft is meerly Machinal since it fails 'em when they have most need of it for being at night in a House if any of the Company be left at the Door which begins to howl all the rest do the same and so they awake the Master and Family which treat them like night Thieves Most of the Eastern Languages call a Bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dobb or Dubb Bochart derives this word from the Arabick Dabiba to be furr'd and our Author likewise believes that it may be taken from another signification of the same word which is to walk slowly Bochart has shewn that in Isaiah 34.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsijm Signifies Wild Cats Mr. Majus confirms that Explication and adds to the remarks of this Learned Man some Modern Histories but he is not of this opinion touching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zemar Deut. 14.5 Luther and Munster have explained it of the Elau Gesner of the Giraffe Bochart of the Camel upon which our Author decides nothing He saith that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acco which is in the same passage would belong better to the Elan Upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opher a Fawn in Arabick Algophro or Algaphro from Gaphoran the first hair of the Face c. The Wool of Cotton Cloath according to Bochart Mr. Majus saith that tho' this Conjecture is very witty nevertheless he had rather derive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opher from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apher Dust because of the lightness of Deers which run almost as quick as the Dust which the Wind carrieth That we may more commodiously use this work there are three Indexes joined to it one of the passages of Scripture another of the Author quoted in this Book and the third of the Subjects treated of Bib. um Tom. 16. P. 138. A Discourse Concerning Liturgies by Mr. David Clerkson at London in Octavo P. 198. To which is Annexed an Answer to
the Syriack Tongue did insensibly mix with the Hebrew Dialect and became common to the Iews and hath since been called the Hebraick Language IV. He Examins in the Fourth Article the Works of many Authors who make mention of the Old Testament as those of Philon Iosephus Iustus c. in speaking of the Writers of the New Testament he Remarks after St. Ierom that the last Chapter of the Gospel of St. Mark is but in a very few Copies and that we may reject it almost with all the Greeks because it seems to mention several things contrary to those which are spoken of by the other Evangelists Besides he assures us upon the Credit of this Father that that which obliges St. Iohn to write his Gospel after all the rest was that having read the rest he remarked that they had only confined themselves to write the History of one Year of the Life of Jesus Christ viz. from the Imprisonment of St. Iohn the Baptist to the death of our Saviour and thereupon he resolved to give the Church an account of what happned in the preceeding Years He does not precisely find in the Acts of the Apostles the time when St. Paul changed his Name from Saul Mr. Du Pin conjectures that it was after the Conveâ—tion of Sergius Paulus because he says it was the custom of the Romans to give their own Names in Testimony of Friendship It might also be said as Budeus proves in his Pandects that it was to honour their Patrons and Benefactors for these they had obliged to take their Names He ends this Dissertation with the Books of the New Testament which were at first doubted but that were soon after placed in the Canon of Holy Writ by the consent of all Churches to wit the Epistle to the Hebrâ—ws the Epistle of St. Iames the Second Epistle of St. Peter the Second and Third of Saint Iohn that of Saint Iude and the Apocalypse The Bibliotheque it self he begins with Criticisms upon the Letters of Agbar to Iesus Christ and Iesus to Agbar which he shews to be Supposititious as well as the Gospel according to the Egyptians The Gospel according to the Hebrews and many other pieces that some wou'd have to pass under the name of the Apostles There were Persons in St. Ierom's time that pretended the Gospel according to the Hebrews was originally that of St. Matthews because it was written in Syraick and Chaldaick Characters Mr. Du Pin proves here that they were different not only by the passages of this Gospel according to the Hebrews which has nothing in it like the History of the Adulterous Woman in Saint Matthew But also because Eusebius and after him St. Ierom absolutely distinguisheth them that this last had translated the Gospel according to the Hebrews whereas the Author of the Version of St. Matthew is wholly unknown and that in the Gospel according to the Hebrews the Scripture is cited there after the Hebrew and St. Matthew in his follow'd the Translation of the Septuagint Yet there is room to doubt of this last Argument since the same St. Ierom which distinguishes these Two Gospels here confounds them in another place according to the relation of our Author in the 39. pag. of his Dissertation And it is not only Contradiction of that Father which he has observ'd Always saith Mr. Du Pin when St. Jerom Treats expresly of Canonical Books he rejects as Apocryphal all those that are not in the Iews Canon but when he speaks without making any reflection he often cites these same books as Holy Scripture Ib. p. 72. speaking diversly by Economie and according to the Persons with whom he had to do The Epistle of St. Barnabas which we have also an entire Latin Translation of and great part of the Greek Original is certainly his since we see in it the same passages that St. Clement of Alexandria Origen Eusebius and St. Ierom cite out of it But says he if this Letter was really St. Barnabas's it ought not to be added to the other Books of the New Testament That follows not according to our Author for if 't is true that a Book is Canonical when we are certain 't was writ by an Author who had the Authority of making it Canonical Who is it that hath said St. Barnabas must be of this Number rather than St. Clement or Hermas 'T is the business of the Church to declare it and it 's sufficient that it has not done it therefore his Letter is look'd upon as Apocryphal altho ' 't was certainly his own He adds that this Letter is unbecoming this Saint being full of all Stories and Allegories But we must know a little the Genius of the Iews and the first Christians who were nourisht and brought up in the Synagogue to believe that these kind of Opinions cou'd not come from 'em On the contrary this was their Character they Learned from the Iews to turn all the Seripture into Allegories and to make Remarks upon the Properties of Animals which the Law had forbidden 'em to eat of We must not be surprised then if St. Barnabas who was Originally a Iew writing to the Iews has Allegorically explain'd many passages since every body knows that the Books of the first Christians were full of these sorts of Fables and Allegories He rejects the Liturgies attributed to the Apostles Because he cou'd not but make a little Reflection upon what is read in the Celebration of the Eucharist in the First Epistle to the Corinthians and upon what St. Iustin and the first Fathers of the Church have said to perswade us that the Apostles and those which succeeded them have celebrated the Sacrifice of the Mass with great simplicity He only relates a small Number of Orisons but by little and little he adds some Prayers and a few External Ceremonies to Render the Sacrifice more venerable to the People In fine the Churches have regulated all abuses in the Sacrament and wrote down the way of celebrating it as may be found in the Liturgy The Apostles Creed the Canons and Apostolick Constitutions are none of theirs Ruffinus was the first and only Author of the Fifth Age who wrote that the Apostles composed the Creed and he only advanced it as a popular Tradition Mr. du Pin to confirm his Opinion and prove that the Creed was not the Apostles as to the Words and Form gives us a Table of the Four ancient Creeds the Vulgar the Aquilean the Eastern and Roman where one might compare them together and observe considerable Differences between them for Instance the Terms Catholick Communion of Saints and Life everlasting which are in the Vulgar or Common Creed are wanting in the other Three As for the Canons which are attributed to the Apostles he defends the opinion of Aubespinus and Beoregius who believ'd 'em very ancient and who pretend that they were properly a Collection of many Councels held before that of Nice the