preheminence that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 3. it received it's beginning of being spoken by the Lord himselfe God spake in these last dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Son Heb. 1. 1. Sect. 24. Thus God who himselfe began the writing of the Word with his own finger Exod. 31. 11 after he had spoken it Exod. 20 appointing or approving the writing of the rest that followed Deut. 31. 12. Josh 23. 6. 1 King 2 3. 2 King 14. 6. 2 King 17. 13. 1 Chron. 21. 15. 2 Chron. 25. 4 4. Ezek. 2. 9 10. Hab. 2. 2. Luk. 16. 29. Joh. 5. 39. Joh. 20. 31. Act. 17. 11 doth lastly command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be written in a Book Re. 1. 11 and so gives out the whole of his Mind and counsell unto us in writing as a mercifull and stedfast reliefe against all that confusion darknesse and uncertainty which the vanity folly and loosnesse of the minds of men drawne out and heightned by the unspeakable alterations that fall out amongst them would otherwise have certainly run into Sect. 25. Thus we have laid down the Originall of the Scriptures from the Scripture it 's selfe and this Originall is the basis and foundation of all it's Authority Thus is it from God entirely from him As to the Doctrine contained in it and the Words wherein that Doctrine is delivered it is wholly his what that speakes He speakes himselfe He speakes in it and by it and so it is vested with all the morall Authority of God over his Creatures CHAP. II. The maine Question proposed to consideration How we may know assuredly the Scripture to be the word of God The Scripture to be received by divine faith The Ground and foundation of that faith enquired after The Answer in the Generall Thesis of this discourse The Authority of God that foundation The way whereby that Authority is evidenced or made knowne What is meant by the Authority of the Scriptures Authority is in respect of others First generall Evidence given to the Thesis laid downe The various wayes of Gods Revealing him selfe and his mind 1 By his works 2. By the light of nature 3. By his word Each of these evince themselves to be from him His word especially Sect. 1. HAving laid in the foregoing Chapter the foundation that we are to build and proceed upon I come now to lay downe the Enquiry whose Resolution must thence be educed That then which we are seeking after is How We and the rest of men in the world who through the mercifull dispensation of God have the Book or Books wherein the Scripture given out from him as above declared is contained or said to be contained who live so many Ages from the last Person who received any part of it immediately from God or who have not received it immediately our selves may come to be assertained as to all ends and purposes wherein we may be concerned therein that the whole and entire written word in that Book or those Books hath the original consequently the Authority that it pleads and avowes namely that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from God in the way and manner laid down and not the Invention of men attending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 26 or to cuningly devised fables Sect. 2. Now seeing it is expected from us and required of us by God himselfe and that on the penalty of his eternall Displeasure if we faile in our duty 2 Thes 1. 8 9 10. that we receive the Scripture not as we doe other Books in relation to their Author with a firme Opinion built on prevailing probable Arguments prevalent against any actuall conclusions to the contrary but with divine and supernaturall faith omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a perswasion not to be cast out of the mind by contrary reasonings or objections it is especially inquired what is the foundatiō formall Reason of our doing so if we so do Whatever that be it returns an answer to this important Question why or on what Account do you believe the Scriptures or Books of the old and new Testament to be the word of God Now the formall Reason of things being but one what ever consideration may be had of other inducements or Arguments to beget in us a Perswasion that the Scripture is the Word of God yet they have no influence into that divine faith wherewith we are bound to believe them They may indeed be of some use to repell the objections that are or may by any be raised against the Truth we believe and so indirectly cherish and further faith its selfe but as to a Concurrence unto the foundation or formall Reason of our believing it is not capable of it Sect. 3. Having then laid downe the Divine Originall of the Scriptures and opened the manner of the Word 's coming forth from God an Answer shall now on that sole foundation be returned to the Enquiry laid down And this I shall do in the ensuing Position The Authority of God the supreame Lord of all the first and only absolute Truth whose Word is Truth speaking in and by the Penmen of the Scriptures evidenced singly in and by the Scripture its selfe is the sole bottome and foundation or formall Reason of our assenting to those Scriptures as his word and of our submitting our hearts and Consciences unto them with that faith and obedience which morally respects him and is due to him alone Sect. 4 God speaking in the Penmen of the Scripture Heb. 1. 1 his Voyce to them was accompanied with its own Evidence which gave Assurance unto them And God speaking by them or their Writings unto us his Word is accompanied with its own Evidence and gives Assurance unto us His Authority and Veracity did and do in the one and the other sufficiently manifest themselves that men may quietly repose their Soules upon them in believing and obedience Thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2. 20. on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles in our believing Sect. 5. That then which to the establishment of the Soules of Believers I shall labour to prove and evince is plainly this namely that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do abundantly and uncontroleably manifest themselves to be the Word of the living God so that merely on the account of their own proposall of themselves unto us in the Name and Majesty of God as such without the contribution of help or Assistance from Tradition Church or any thing else without themselves we are obliged upon the penalty of eternall damnation as are all to whom by any meanes they come or are brought to receive them with that subjection of soule which is due to the Word of God The Authority of God shining in them they afford unto us all the divine Evidence of themselves which God is willing to grant unto us
The Ground of the Request for the rising of one from the dead is laid in the common Apprehension of men not knowing the power of God in the Scriptures who thinke that if an evident miracle were wrought all pretences and pleas of Unbeliefe would be excluded who doth not think so Our Saviour discovers that mistake and lets men know that those who will not owne or submit to the Authority of God in the Word would not be moved by the most signall miracles imaginable If an holy man whom we had known assuredly to have been dead for some yeares should rise out of his grave and come unto us with a message from God could any man doubt whether he were sent unto us of God or no I suppose not The rising of men from the dead was the greatest miracle that attended the Resurrection of our Saviour Math. 27. 52 53. yea greater then his owne if the Socinians may be beleived namely in that he raised not himselfe by his owne power yet the evidence of the mission of such an One the Authority of God speaking in him our Saviour being Judge is not of an Efficacy to enforce beleife beyond that which is in the Written Word nor a surer foundation for faith to repose its selfe upon Sect. 15. Could we heare a Voice from Heaven accompanied with such a divine power as to evidence its selfe to be from God should we not rest in it as such I suppose men think they would can we think that any man should withdraw his Assent and say yea but I must have some Testimony that this is from God All such Evasions are precluded in the supposition wherein a selfe evidencing Power is granted What greater miracles did the Apostles of Christ ever behold or heare then that Voice that came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the most excellent Glory This is my beloved Son yet Peter who heard that voice tells us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the Written Word then they had in and by that miraculous voice We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we heard saith he that voice indeed but we have a more sure word of Prophesy to attend unto More sure not in in its selfe but in its giveing out its Evidence unto us And how doth it appear so to be The Reason he alledges for it was before insisted on 2 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. Sect. 16. Yea suppose that God should speak to us from Heaven as he spake to Moses or as he spake to Christ or from some certaine place as Numb 7. 8 9. How should we be able to know it to be the Voice of God Cannot Sathan cause a Voice to be heard in the Aire and so deceive us or may not there be some way in this kind found out whereby men might impose upon us with their delusions Pope Celestine thought he heard a voice from heaven when it was but the cheat of his Successor Must We not rest at last in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which accompanies the true Voice of God evidencing its selfe and ascertaining the Soule beyond all possibility of mistake Now did not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accompany the written Word at its first giving forth if it did not as was said how could any man be obliged to discerne it from all delusions if it did how came it to loose it did God appoint his word to be Written that so he might destroy its Authority If the Question be whether the doctrines proposed to be believed are Truths of God or cunningly devised fables we are sent to the Scripture its selfe and that alone to give the Determination CHAP. IV. Innate Arguments in the Scripture of its divine originall and Authority These the formall Reason of our Believing It s selfe evidencing Efficacy All light mâ—nifests it selfe The Scripture Light What kind of Light it is Spirituall light evidentiall The ground of mens not discerning this Light Consectaries from the Premises laid down What the selfe Evidencing Light of the Scripture peculiarly is The Proposition of the Scripture as an object of faith is from and by this Light Power selfe Evidencing The Scripture the Power of God And Powerfull How this Power exerts its selfe The whole Question resolved § 1. HAving given some few instances of those many Testimonies which the Scripture in expresse Termes beares to its selfe and the spring rise and fountaine of all that Authority which it claimes among and over the sons of men which all those who pretend on any account whatever to owne and acknowledge its Divinity are bound to stand to and are obliged by The second thing proposed or the innate Arguments that the Word of God is furnished withall for its owne manifestation and whereby the Authority of God is revealed for faith to repose its selfe upon comes in the next place into consideration Now these Arguments containe the full and formall Grounds of our Answer to that enquiry before laid downe namely why and wherefore we doe receive and beleive the Scripture to be the word of God It being the formall Reason of our faith that whereon it is built and whereunto it is resolved that is enquired after we answer as we said before we do so receive embrace believe and submit unto it because of the Authority of God who speaks it or gave it forth as his Mind and Will evidencing its selfe by the spirit in and with that word unto our minds and Consciences or because that the Scripture being brought unto us by the good Providence of God in Waies of his Appointment and Preservation it doth evidence its selfe infallibly unto our consciences to be the Word of the living God Sect. 2. The selfe evidencing Efficacy of the Scripture and the grounds of it which consist in common mediums that have an extent and latitude answerable to the Reasons of men whether as yet they acknowledge it to be the Word of God or no is that then which in the remainder of this discourse I shall indeavour to cleare and vindicate This only I shall desire to premise that whereas some Grounds of this efficacy seeme to be placed in the things themselves contained in the Scripture I shall not consider them abstractedly as such but under the formality of their being the Scripture or Written Word of God without which consideration and Resolution the things mentioned would be left naked and utterly devested of their Authority and efficacy pleaded for and be of no other nature and importance then the same things found in other Books It is the Writing its selfe that now supplies the place and Roome of the Persons in and by whom God originally spake to men As were the Persons speaking of old so are the Writings now It was the Word spoken that was to be believed yet as spoken by them from God and it is now the Word written that is to be believed yet as written by the Command and Appointment of God Sect.
not how built we know not upon what foundations that we intend in the Assignation of our receiving the Scripture to be the Word of God to the effectuall worke and witnesse of the Holy Ghost Sect. 5. Two things then we intend by this VVorke of the spirit upon the mind of man 1. His communication of of spirituall Light by an act of his Power enabling the mind to discerne the saving Truth Majesty and Authority of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a blindnesse a darknesse upon the minds of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that not only disenables them from discerning the things of God in their certainty Evidence Necessity and beauty for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also causes them to judge amisse of them as things weake and foolish darke unintelligible not answering to any Principle of Wisdome whereby they are guided 1 Cor. 2. Whilst this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abides on the minds of men it is impossible that they should on any right abiding foundation assent to the Word of God They may have a prejudicate opinion they have no faith concerning it This darknesse then must be removed by the Communication of Light by the Holy Ghost which work of his Illumination is commonly by others spoken unto and by me also in another place Sect. 6. 2. The Holy Ghost together with and by his worke of Illumination taking off the perverse disposition of mind that is in us by nature with our Enmity to and Aversation from the things of God effectually also perswades the mind to a receiving and admitting of the Truth Wisdome and Authority of the word Now because this perverse disposition of mind possessing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soule influences the Will also into an Aversation and dislike of that Goodnesse which is in the Truth proposed to it it is removed by a double act of the Holy Ghost § 7. 1. He gives us Wisdome Understanding a spirituall Judgment whereby we may be able to compare spirituall things with spirituall in a spirituall manner and to come thereby to a cleare and full Light of the heavenly Excellency and Majesty of the Word and so enables us to know of the doctrine whither it be of God Under the benefit of this Assistance all the parts of the Scripture in their Harmony and Correspondency all the Truths of it in their power and necessity come in together to give Evidence one to another and all of them to the whole I meane as the mind is enabled to make a spirituall Judgment of them § 8. 2. He gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall sense a Tast of the things themselves upon the mind Heart and Conscience when we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senses exercised to discerne such things These things deserve a more full handling and to be particularly exemplified from Scripture if the nature of our present designe would admit thereof Sect. 9. As in our naturall Estate in respect of these things of God the mind is full of vanity darknesse blindnesse yea is darkness its selfe so that there is no correspondency between the faculty and the Object and the Will lies in an utter unacquaintednesse yea impossibility of any acquaintance with the life power savour sweetnesse relish and Goodnesse that is in the things proposed to be known and discerned under the darke shades of a blind mind so for a removall of both these the Holy Ghost communicates Light to the Understanding whence it is able to see and judge of the truth as it is in Jesus and the Will being thereby delivered from the dungeon wherein it was and quickened a new performes its office in embracing what is proper and suited unto it in the object proposed The Spirit indeed discovereth to every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the counsell of his will but yet in that way in the Generall whereby the Sun gives out his light and heate the former making way for the latter But these things must not now be insisted on Sect. 10. Now by these works of the Spirit He doth I say perswade the Mind concerning the Truth and Authority of the Scripture and therein leave an Impression of an effectuall Testimony within us And this Testimony of his as it is Authoritative and infallible in its selfe so of inconceivably more Efficacy Power and Certainty unto them that doe receive it then any Voice or internall Word boasted of by some can be But yet this is not the work of the spirit at present enquired after Sect. 11. 2 There is a Testimony of the spirit that respects the object or the Word its selfe and this is a publick Testimony which as it satisfies our soules in particular so it is and may be pleaded in reference unto the satisfaction of all others to whom the Word of God shall come The Holy Ghost speaking in and by the Word imparting to it Vertue Power Efficacy Majesty and Authority affords us the Witnesse that our faith is resolved unto And thus whereas there are but two heads whereunto all Grounds of Assent do belong namely Authority of Testimony and the selfe Evidence of Truth they do here both concurre in one In the same Word we have both the Authority of the Testimony of the spirit and the selfe Evidence of the Truth spoken by him yea so that both these are materially one and the same though distinguished in their formall conceptions I have been much affected with those verses of DANTE 's the Italian Poet which some body hath thus word for word turned into Latine larga pluvia Spiritus sancti quae est diffusa Super veteres super novas membranas Est syllogismus qu◠eam mihi conclusit Acutè adeo ut prae illa Omnis demonstratio mihi videatur obtusa The spirits communication of his owne Light and Authority to the Scripture as Evidences of its originall is the Testimony pleaded for Sect. 12. When then we resolve our faith into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost it is not any Private whisper Word or voyce given to individuall Persons It is not the secret and effectuall perswasion of the Truth of the Scriptures that falls upon the minds of some men from various involved considerations of Education Tradition and the like whereof they can give no particular account It is not the effectuall work of the Holy Ghost upon the minds and wills of men enabling them savingly to believe that is intended The Papists for the most part pleading about these things do but shew their ignorance and malice But it is the Publick Testimony of the Holy Ghost given unto all of the Word by and in the word and its own divine light Efficacy and Power Sect. 13. Thus far then have we proceeded The Scripture the Written Word hath its infallible Truth in its selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. from whence it hath its Verity thence it hath its Authority for its whole Authority is founded in
alone that it passes in the world or is believed we have added to it many bookes upon our owne judgement and yet thinke it not sufficient for the guidance of men in the worship of God and their obedience they owe unto him yet do they blush are they ashamed as a thiefe when he is taken nay do they not boast themselves in their iniquity and say they are sold to worke all these abominations The time is coming yea it is at hand wherein it shall repent them for ever that they have lifted up themselves against this sacred grant of the wisdome care love and goodnesse of God Sundry other branches there are of the Abominations of these men besides those enumerated all which may be reduced to these three corrupt and bloody fountaines 1. That the Scripture at best as given out from God and as it is to us continued was and is but a partiall revelation of the will of God the other part of it which how vast and extensive it is no man knowes for the Jewes have given us their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Mishna and Gemara These kept them lockt up in the breast or chaire of their holy Father beeing reserved in their magazine of Traditions 2. That the Scripture is not able to evince or manifest its selfe to be the Word of God so as to enjoy and exercise any Authority in his name over the soules and consciences of men without an accession of Testimony from that combination of politicke worldly minded men that call themselves the Church of Rome 3. That the Originall copies of the Old and New Testament are so corrupted ex ore tuo serve nequam that they are not a certaine standard and measure of all doctrines or the touch-stone of all Translations Now concerning these things you will find somewhat offered unto your considerations in the ensuing discourses wherein I hope without any great alterâ—ation or disputes to lay downe such principles of truth as that their Idoll imaginations will be found cast to the ground before the sacred Arke of the word of God and to lye naked without wisdome or power It is concerning the last of these only that at present I shall deliver my thoughts unto you and that because we begin to have a new concernment therein wherewith I shall afterward acquaint you Of all the Inventions of Sathan to draw off the minds of men from the word of God this of decrying the authority of the Originalls seems to me the most pernicious At the beginning of the reformation before the Councill of Trent the Papists did but faintly and not without some blushing defend their vulgar Latine Translation Some openly preferred the Originall before it as 1 Cajetan Erasmus 2 Vives and others Yea and after the Councell also the same was done by Andradius 3 â—erarius 4 Arias Montanus 5 Masius 6 and others For those who understood nothing but Latine amongst them and scarcely that whose ignorance was provided for in the Councill I suppose it will not be thought meet that in this case we should make any account of them But the State of things is now altered in the world and the iniquity which first wrought in a mystery being now discovered casts off its vizard and grows bold nihil est audacius istis deprensis At first the designe was mannaged in private writings Melchior Canus 7 Gulielmus Lindanus 8 Bellarminus 9 Gregorius de Valentia 10 Leo Castrius 11 Huntlaeus 12 Hanstelius 13 with innumerable others some on one account some on another have pleaded that the Originalls were corrupted some of them with more impudence than others Leo Castrius as Pineda observes raves almost where ever he falls on the mention of the Hebrew text Sed is est Author saith he dum in hujusmodi Ebraizationes incidit vix sui compos bono licet zelo tamen vel ignoratione rerum quarundam vel vehementiori aliquâ affectione extra fines veritatis modestiae rapitur si ex hujusmodi tantum unguibus Leonem illum estimaremus non etiam ex aliis praeclaris conatibus aut murem aut vulpem censeremus aut canem aut quiddam aliud ignobilius Yea Morinus who seems to be ashamed of nothing yet shrinks a little at this mans impudence and folly Apologetici libros saith he sex bene longos scripsit quibus nihil quam Judaeorum voluntarias malignas depravationes demonstrate nititur zelo sanè pio scripsit Castrius sed libris Hebraicis ad tantum opus quod moliebatur parum erat instructus In the steps of this Castrius walkes Huntley a subtie Jesuite who in the treatise above cited ascribes the corruption of the Hebrew Bible to the good providence of God for the honour of the vulgar Latine But these with their companions have had their mouths stopt by Reinolds Whitaker Junius Lubbertus Rivetus Chamierus Gerardus Amesius Glassius Alstedius A mama and others So that a man would have thought this fire put to the house of God had been sufficiently quenched But after all the endeavours hitherto used in the daies wherein we live it breaks out in a greater flame they now print the Originall it selfe and defame it gathering up translations of all sorts and setting them up in competition with it When Ximenius put forth the Complutencian Bibles Vatablus his Arias Montanus those of the King of Spaine this Cockatrice was not hatcht whose fruit is now growing to a flying fiery Serpent It is now but saying the ancient Hebrew letters are changed from the Samaritane to the Chaldean the points or vowels and accents are but lately invented of no Authority without their guidance and direction nothing is certaine in the knowledge of that tongue all that we know of it comes from the translation of the 70 the Jews have corrupted the old Testament there are innumerable various lections both of the old and new there are other copies differing from those we now enjoy that are utterly lost So that upon the matter there is nothing left unto men but to choose whether they will be Papists or Atheists Here that most stupendious fabrick that was ever raised by inke and paper termed well by a learned man magnificentissimum illud quod post homines natos in lucem prodiit unquam opus biblicum I mean the Parisian Bibles is prefaced by a discourse of its Erector Michael de Jay wherein he denies the Hebrew text prefers the vulgar Latine before it and resolves that we are not left to the word for our rule but to the Spirit that rules in their Church pro certo igitur atque indubitato apud nos esse debet vulgatam editionem quae communi catholicae Ecclesiae linguâ— circumfertur verum esse genuinum sacrae Scripturae fontem hanc consulendam ubique inde fidei dogmata repetenda ex quo insuper consentaneum est vera ac certissima fidei Christianae autographa in
sundry difficulties with many other advantages cannot be easily expressed But as the best things are apt to be most abused so in particular it hath falne out with this kind of learning and studie Protestants here also have chiefly mannaged the businesse Beza Camerarius Scaliger Casaubon Dâ—usius Gomarus Usher Grotius Hensius Fuller Dieu Mede Camero Glasius Capellus Amama with innumerable others have excelled in this kind But the mind of man being exceedingly vaine-glorious curious uncertain after a doore to reputation and renowne by this kind of learning was opened in the world it quicly spread its selfe over all bounds and limits of Sobriety The manifold incoâ—veniences if not mischiefes that have ensued on the boldnesse and curiosity of some in criticising on the Scripture I shall not now insist upon and what it might yet grow unto I have often heard the great Usher expressing his feare Of the successe of Grotius in this way we have a solid account weekly in the Lectures of our learned Professor which I hope he will in due time benefit the Publick withall But it is only one or two things that my present designe calls mee upon to remarke Among other wayes that sundry men have fixed on to exercise their criticall abilities one hath beene the collecting of various lections both in the old Testament and New The first and honestest course fixed on to this purpose was that of consulting various copies and comparing them among themselves wherein yet there were sundry miscarriages as I shall shew in the second treatise This was the worke of Erasmus Stephen Beza Arias Montanus and some others some that came after them finding this Province possessed and no other world of the like nature remaining for them to conquer fixed upon another way substituting to the service of their designe as pernitious a principle as ever I thinke was fixed on by any learned man since the foundation of the Church of Christ excepting only those of Rome Now this principle is that upon many grounds which some of them are long in recounting there are sundry corruptions crept into the Originals which by their criticall faculty with the use of sundry Engines those especially of the Old Translations are to be discovered and removed And this also receives countenance from these Prolegomena to the Biblia Polyglotta as will afterwards be showne and discussed Now this principle being once fixed and a liberty of criticising on the Scripture yea a necessity of it thence evinced it is inconceiveable what springs of corrections and amendments rise up under their hands Let me not be thought tedious if I recount some of them to you 1 It is knowne that there is a double Consonancy in the Hebrew Consonants among themselves of some in figure that are unlike in sound of some in sound that are unlike in figure of the first sort are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the latter are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this is one principle of our new Criticks that the Scribes of the Bible were sometimes mistaken by the likenesse of the Letters in respect of figure sometimes by their liknesse in respect of sound and so remembring the words they wrote oftentimes put one for another so that whether they used their Eyes or their Memories they failed on one hand or another though the Jewes deny any Copy amongst them to be written but exactly by patterne or that it is lawfull for a man to write one word in a Copy but by patterne though he could remember the words of the whole Bible now whereas the signification of every word is regulated by its radix it often falls out that in the formation and inflexion of words by reason of letters that are defective there remaines but one letter of the Radix in them at least that is pronounced How frequent this is in this tongue those who have very little skill in it may ghesse by only taking a view of Frobenius his Bible wherein the Radicall letters are printed in a distinct character from all the praefixes and affixes in their variations Now if a man hath a mind to criticise and mend the Bible it is but taking his word or words that he will fix upon try what they will make by the coÌ„mutation of the letters that are alike in figure or sound Let him try what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will doe in the place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or on the contrary which as they are radicall or as they are prefixed will sufficiently alter the sense and so of all the rest mentioned If by this meanes any new sense that is tolerable and pleaseth the Criticke doth emerge it is but saying the Scribe was mistaken in the likenesse of the Letters or in the affinity of the sound and then it is no matter though all the Copies in the world agree to the contrary without the least variation It is evident that this course hath stood Capellus and Grotius in very good stead And Symeon de Muys tells us a pretty story of himselfe to this purpose de Heb. Edit Antiq. Verit. S. S. Yea this is the most eminent spring of the Criticismes on the old Testament that these times afford a thousand instances might be given to this purpose 2. But in case this course faile and no reliefe be afforded this way than the transposition of Letters offers its assistance those who know any thing in this language know what alteration in the sense of words may be made by such a way of procedure frequently words of contrary senses directly opposite consist only of the same Letters diversly placed Every Lexicon will supply men with instances that need not to be here repeated 3. The points are taken into consideration and here bold men may even satisfie their curiosity That word or those three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are instanced in by Hierome to this purpose Hom. 9. 12 as it may be printed it will afford 8 severall senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pestis as farre distant from one another as life and death those letters in that order may be read with and and and and the Jewes give instances how by this meanes men may destroy the world But 4. Suppose that this ground proves barren also it is but going to an old Translation the 70 or vulgar Latin and where any word likes us to consider what Hebrew word answers unto it and if it discovers an agreement in any one Letter in Figure or sound with the word in that Text then to say that so they read in that copy yea rather then faile be the word as farre different from what is read in the Bible as can be imagined averre it to yeeld the more convenient sense and a various lection is found out And these are the chiefe heads and springs of the criticisms on the old Testament which with so great a reputation of learning men have boldly obtruded on us of
Doctrine after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other meanes for that End and purpose And hence the malice of Satan hath raged no lesse against the Book then the Truth contained in it The dealings of Antiochus under the old Testament and of sundry persecuting Emperours under the new evince no lesse And it was no lesse crime of old to be Traditor libri than to be Abnegator fidei The reproach of Chartacea scripta and membranae Coster Enchirid Cap. 1. reflects on it's Authour It is true we have not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses and the Prophets of the Apostles and Evangelists but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have or copies containe every iota that was in them Sect. 14. It is no doubt but that in the Copies we now enjoy of the old Testament there are some diverse readings or various lections The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are are of another nature the various lections of Ben-Asher or Rabbi Aaron the Son of Rabbi Moses of the tribe of Asher Ben Nepthali or R Moses the Son of David of the Tribe of Nepthali of the East and Westerne Jewes which we have collected at the End of the great Bible with the Masora evince it But yet we affirme that the whole Word of God in every Letter and Title as given from him by Inspiration is preserved without Corruption Where there is any variety it is alwayes in things of lesse indeed of no importance God by his Providence preserving the whole entire suffered this lesser variety to fall out in or among the copies we have for the quickning and exercising of our diligence in our search into his Word Sect. 15. It was an unhappy Attempt which must afterwards be spoken unto that a learned man hath of late put himselfe upon namely to prove variations in all the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the old Testament in the Hebrew Tongue from the Copies used of old merely upon uncertaine conjectures and the credit of corrupt Translations Whether that Plea of his be more unreasonable in it's selfe devoid of any reall ground of Truth or injurious to the Love and care of God over his Word and Church I know not sure I am it is both in an high degree The Translation especially insisted on by him is that of the LXX That this Translation either from the mistakes of it's first Authours if it be theirs whose name and number it beares or the carelessenesse or ignorance or worse of it's Transcribers is corrupted and gone off from the originall in a 1000 places twice told is acknowledged by all who know ought of these things Strange that so corrupt a streame should be judged a fit meanes to cleanse the fountaine That such a Lesbian Rule should be thought a fit measure to correct the originall by and yet on the account hereof with some others not one whit better or scarce so Good we have 1826 various lections exhibited unto us with frequent insinuations of an infinite number more yet to be collected It were desirable that men would be content to shew their learning Reading and diligence about things where there is lesse danger in Adventures Nor is the reliefe He provides against the charge of bringing things to an uncertainty in the Scripture which he found himselfe obnoxious unto lesse pernitious than the opinion he seeks to palliate thereby although it be since taken up and approved by others The Saving Doctrine of the Scripture He tells us as to the matter and substance of it in all things of moment it is preserved in the Copies of the originall and Translations that doe remaine Sect. 17. It is indeed a great Reliefe against the inconvenience of corrupt Translations to consider that although some of them be bad enough yet if all the Errours and mistakes that are to be found in all the rest should be added to the worst of all yet every necessary saving fundamentall truth would be found sufficiently testified unto therein But to depresse the sacred Truth of the originalls into such a condition as wherein it should stand in need of this Apologie and that without any colour or pretence from discrepancies in the Copies themselves that are extant or any tollerable evidence that there ever were any other in the least differing from these extant in the world will at length be found a work unbecoming a Christian Protestant Divine Besides the injury done hereby to the Providence of God towards his Church and care of his Word It will not be found so easy a matter upon a supposition of such corruption in the Originalls as is pleaded for to evince unquestionably that the whole saving doctrine its selfe at first given out from God continues entire and incorrupt The nature of this doctrine is such that there is no other Principle or meanes of it's discovery no other Rule or measure of judging and determining any thing about or concerning it but only the writing from whence it is taken it being wholly of divine Reevlation and that Revelation being expressed only in that writing Upon any corruption then supposed therein there is no meanes of rectifying it It were an easy thing to correct a mistake or corruption in the transcription of any Probleme or Demonstration of Euclide or any other antient Mathematician from the consideration of the things themselves about which they treate being alwaies the same and in their owne nature equally exposed to the knowledge and understanding of men in all Ages In things of pure Revelation whose knowledge depends solely on their Revelation it is not so Nor is it enough to satisfy us that the doctrines mentioned are preserved entire every Tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Word of God must come under our care and consideration as being as such from God But of these things we shall Treat afterwards at large returne we now to the Apostle Sect. 17. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this written Prophesy this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of any private Interpretation Some thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to Hesychius denotes Afflation inspiration conception within so Calvin In this sense the importance of the words is the same with what I have already mentioned namely that the Prophets had not their private conceptions or selfe fancyed Enthusiasmes of the things they spake To this Interpretation assents Grotius And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is reckoned amongst the various Lections that are gathered out of him in the Appendix to the Biblia polyglotta Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the other side of that usuall expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camero contends for the retaining of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and justly We begin a little to late to see whether mens bold Conjectures in correcting the Originall Text of the Scriptures are like to proceed Her 's no colour for a various Lection one Copy it seemes by Stephen read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without ground by an evident errour and such mistakes are not to be allowed the name or place of various Readings But yet sayes Camero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a Resolution and Interpretation as is made by Revelation He addes that in that sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the 70 in the businesse of Joseph's Interpretation of Pharaoh's Dreame Gen. 40 which was by Revelation But indeed the word is not used in that Chapter However he falls in with this sense as doe Calvin and Grotius that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be referred to our Interpretation of the Prophets but to the Way and manner of their receiving the Counsell and Will of God Sect. 18. And indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for an Interpretation of the Word of prophesy given out by writing as our Translation beares it is an Expression that can scarcely have any tollerable sense affixed unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relates here to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and denotes the first giving out of it's Word not our after consideration of it's sense and meaning And without this sense it stands in no coherence with nor opposition to the following sentence which by it's causall connexion to this manifests that it renders a Reason of what is herein affirmed in the first place and in the latter turning with the adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposition unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Prophesie came not at any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost What Reason is in the first part of this verse why the Scripture is not of our private interpretation or what opposition in the latter to that Assertion Nay on that supposall there is no tollerable correspondency of discourse in the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But take the Word to expresse the coming of the Prophesie to the Prophets themselves and the sense is full and Cleare Sect. 19. This then is the intention of the Apostle the Prophesie which we have written the Scripture was not an issue of mens fancied Enthusiasmes not a product of their own minds and Conceptions not an Interpretation of the Will of God by the understanding of man that is of the Prophets thēselves neither their rational apprehensions Enquiries conceptions of fancy or Imaginations of their hearts had any place in this businesse no selfe Afflation no rational meditatiō managed at liberty by the understandings Wills of men had place herein Sect. 20. Of this saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing judging and determining this in the first place This is a Principle to be owned and acknowledged by every one that will believe any thing else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only to know to perceive to understand but also to judge own and acknowledge This then in our Religion is to be owned acknowledged submitted unto as a Principle without further dispute To discover the Grounds of this submission and Acknowledgment is the businesse of the ensuing discourse Sect. 21. That this is so indeed as before asserted and to give a Reason why this is to be received as a Principle he addes ver s 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That word of Prophesy which we have written is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of private conception for it came not at any time by the will of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the passive Conjugation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes at least to be brought in more than merely it came It was brought into them by the Will of God The Affirmative as to the Will of God is included in the negative as to the will of man Or it came as the voice from heaven to our Saviour on the mount vers 18 where the same word is used So Eze. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essendo fuit verbum it was brought into him as was shewed before Thus God brought the word to them and spake in them in order of nature before he spake by them As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was brought to them it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of the Lord Ge. 3. 8. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jewes call it as spoken by them or written it was properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum Dei the word of God which by his immediate voice he signified to the Prophets Thus some of them in visions first eat a written book and then prophesi'd as was instanced before And this is the first spring of the Scripture the beginning of it's emanation from the Counsell and Will of God By the Power of the Holy Ghost it was brought into the organs or instruments that he was pleased to use for the Revelation and declaration of it unto others Sect. 22. That which remaines for the compleating of this dispensation of the Word of God unto us is added by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Word was thus brought to them it was not left to their understandings Wisdomes Minds Memories to order dispose and give it out but they were borne acted carried out by the Holy Ghost to speake deliver and Write all that and nothing but that to every tittle that was so brought to them They invented not Words themselves suited to the things they had learned but only expressed the Words that they received Though their mind and understanding were used in the choise of Words whence arises all the difference that is in the manner of expression for they did use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of Will or choise yet they were so guided that their words were not their owne but immediately supplyed unto them and so they gave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing of uprightnesse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of truth it 's selfe Ecles 12. 10. Not only the Doctrine they taught was the Word of truth Truth it's selfe Joh. 17. 17 but the Words whereby they taught it were Words of truth from God himselfe Thus allowing the contribution of passive instruments for the Reception and Representation of words which answers the mind and tongue of the Prophets in the coming of the voice of God to them every Apex of the written word is equally divine and as immediatly from God as the voice wherewith or whereby he spake to or in the Prophets and is therefore accompanyed with the same Authority in it's selfe and unto us Sect. 23. What hath been thus spoken of the Scripture of the old Testament must be also affirmed of the new with this addition of advantage and
commutation of properties to the Word and in an unexpressable Exaltation of it above them The light of one day of this Sun being unspeakably more than that of seven others as to the manifestation of the Glory of God Sect. 16. This then is fixed as a Principle of Truth whatever God hath appointed to reveale himselfe by as to any speciall or generall End that those whom he intends to discover himselfe unto may either be effectually instructed in his mind and will according to the measure degree and meanes of the Revelation afforded or be left inexcusable for not receiving the Testimony that he gives of himselfe by any Plea or pretence of want of cleare evident manifest Revelation That what ever it be hath such an impresssion of his Authority upon it as undeniably to evince that it is from him And this now concerning his Word comes further to be confirmed by Testimonies and Arguments CHAP. III. Arguments of two sorts Inartificiall Arguments by way of Testimony to the Truth To whom these Arguments are valid Isa 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 16. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that accompanies the voice of God Jer. 3. 26 27 28 29. The rejection of a plea of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein it consists Luk. 16. 31. of miracles their efficacy to beget faith compared with the word 2 Pe. 1. 16 19 20. Sect. 1. HAving declared the Divine Original and Authority of the Scripture and explained the Position laid downe as the foundation of our ensuing discourse way is now made for us to the consideration of those sâ—lfâ—-Evidences of it's divine Rise and consequently Authority that it is attended withall upon the account whereof we receive it as believing it to be the Word of God Sect. 2. The Arguments whereby any thing is confimed are of two sorts Inartificiall by the Way of Testimony and Artificiall by the Way of Deductions and Inferences What ever is capable of contributing Evidence unto Truth falls under one of these two heads Both these kinds of Proofes we make use of in the businesse in hand Some professe they owne the Authority of the Scriptures and also urge others so to doe but they well dispute on what grounds and Accounts they doe foe With those we may deale in the first way by Testimony from the Scriptures themselves which upon their own Principles they cannot refuse When they shall be pleased to informe us that they have relinquished those Principles and doe no longer owne the Scripture to be the Word of God We will withdraw the Witnesses upon their Exceptions whom for the present we make use of Testimonies that are innate and ingrafted in the Word it 's selfe used only as Mediums of Artificiall Arguments to be deduced from them which are of the second sort may be used towards them who at present own not the Authority of the Scripture on any account whatever or who are desirous to put on themselves the Persons of such men to try their skill and Ability for the management of a Controversy against the Word of God Sect. 3. In both these cases the Testimony of the Scripture is pleaded and is to be received or cannot with any pretence of Reason be refused in the former upon the account of the acknowledged Authority and Veracity of the Witnesse though speaking in its owne case in the latter upon the account of that selfe Evidence which the Testimony insisted on is accompanied withall made out by such Reasonings and Arguments as for the kind of them Persons who owne not it's Authority cannot but admit In humane things if a man of knowne Integrity and unspotted Reputation beare Witnesse in any cause and give uncontrolable Evidence to his Testimony from the very nature and Order of the things whereof he speakes as it is expected that those who know and admit of his Integrity and Reputation doe acquiesce in his Assertion so those to whom he is a Stranger who are not moved by his Authority will yet be overcome to assent to what is witnessed by him from the nature of the things he asserts especially if there be a coincidence of all such circumstances as are any way needfull to give Evidence to the matter in hand Sect. 4. Thus it is in the case under consideration For those who professe themselves to believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God and so owne the credit and fidelity of the Witnesse it may reasonably be expected from them yea in strict Justice demanded of them that they stand to the Testimony that they give to themselves and their owne divine Originall By saying that the Scripture is the Word of God and then commanding as to prove it so to be they render themselves obnoxious unto every Testimony that we produce from it that so it is and that it is to be received on it's own Testimony This Witnesse they cannot wave without disavowing their owne Professed Principles without which Principles they have not the least colour of imposing this taske on us Sect. 5. As for them with whom we have not the Present advantage of their own Acknowledgment it is not reasonable to impose upon them with the bare Testimony of that Witnesse concerning whom the Question is whether he be worthy the Acceptation pleaded for But yet Arguments taken from the Scripture from what it is and doth it 's Nature and Operation by which the causes and springs of all things are discovered are not to be refused Sect. 6. But it is neither of these that principally I intend to deale withall my present Discourse is rather about the satisfaction of our owne consciences than the Answering of others Objections Only we must satisfy our Consciences upon such Prinples as will stand against all mens Objections This then is chiefly enquired after namely what it is that gives such an Assurance of the Scriptures being the Word of God as that relying thereon we have a sure Bottome and foundation for our receiving them as such and from whence it is that those who receive them not in that manner are left inexcusable in their damnable unbeliefe This we say is in and from the Scripture its selfe so that there is no other need of any further witnesse or Testimony nor is any in the same kind to be admitted Sect. 7. It is not at all in my Purpose to insist largly at present on this subject and therefore I shall content my selfe with instancing in some few Testimonies and Arguments beginning with one or two of the first sort Isa 8. 20. To the law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word there is no light in them What ever any one says be it what or who it will Church or Person if it be in or about the things of God concerning his Will or Worship with our Obedience to him it is to be tryed by the Law and Testimony Hither we are sent This is asserted to be the Rule and
standard the touchstone of all speakings whatever Now that must speak alone for its selfe which must try the speaking of all but its selfe yea it s own also Sect. 8. But what doth this Law and Testimony that is this written Word plead on the account whereof it should be thus attended unto What doth it urge for its Acceptation Tradition Authority of the Church Miracles consent of men or doth it speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and stand only upon its owne Soveraignty The Apostle gives us his Answer to this Enquiry 2 Tim. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s Plea for Reception in Comparison with and Opposition unto all other waies of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Will founded whereon it calls for attendance and submission with supreame uncontroleable Authority is its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine inspiration It remaines then only to be enquired whether when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pleaded there be any middle way but either that it be received with divine faith or rejected as false Sect. 9. Suppose a man were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired and should so professe himselfe in the name of the Lord as did the Prophets of old Amos 7. supposing I say he were so indeed it will not be denied but that his message were to be received and submitted unto on that account The deniall of it would justify them who rejected and slew those that spake unto them in the name of the Lord. And it is to say in plaine termes we may reject them whom God sends Though miracles were given only with respect to Persons not things yet most of the Prophets who wrought no miracles insisted on this that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired their doctrine was to be received as from God In their so doing it was sin even Unbeliefe and Rebellion against God not to submit to what they spake in his name And it alwaies so fell out to fix our faith on the right bottome that scarce any Prophet that spake in the name of God had any Approbation from the Church in whose daies He spake Math. 5. 12. chap. 23. 29. Luk. 17. 47 48. Acts 7. 52. Math. 21. 33 34 35 36 37 38. It is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 1. there were false Prophets that spake in the name of the Lord when he sent them not Jerem. 23. 22. Yet were those whom he did send to be received on paine of damnation on the same penalty were the others to be refused Jerem. 23. 28 29. The foundation of this duty lies in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that accompanied the Word that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which afterwards And without a supposall hereof it could not consist with the Goodnesse and Righteousnesse of God to require of men under the penalty of his eternall displeasure to make such a discrimination where he had not given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible tokens to enable them so to doe Sect. 10. But that he had and hath done so he declares Jerem. 23. How long shall this be in the heart of the Prophets that Prophesy lies that are Prophets of the deceit of their own heart which thinke to cause my people to forget my name by their dreames which they tell every man to his neighbour as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheate saith the Lord is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the mountaines in Peices In the latter daies of that Church when the People were most eminently perplexed with false Prophets both as to their number and subtilty yet God laies their Eternall and Temporall safety or Ruine on their discerning aright between his VVord and that which was only pretended so to be And that they might not complaine of this imposition he tenders them security of its easinesse of Performance Speaking of his owne VVord comparatively as to every thing that is not so he saies it is as Wheate to Chaffe which may infallibly by being what it is be discerned from it and then absolutely that it hath such Properties as that it will discover its selfe even Light and heat and Power A Person then who was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be attended unto because he was so Sect. 11 As then was said before the Scriptures being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not the case the same as with a man that was so is there any thing in the VVriting of it by Gods Command that should impaire its Authority nay is it not freed from innumerable prejudices that attended it in its first giving out by men arising from the personall infirmities and supposed interests of them that delivered it Jerem. 43. 3. Joh. 9. 29. Acts. 24. 5. Sect. 12. This being pleaded by it and insisted on its Testimony is received or it is not If it be received on this account there is in it we say the proper basis and foundation of faith wheâ—eon it hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or subsistence If it be rejected it must be not only with a refusall of its witnesse but also with a high detestation of its pretence to be from God What ground or plea for such a refusall and detestation any one hath or can have shall be afterwards considered If it be a sin to refuse it it had been a duty to receive it if a duty to receive it as the Word of God then was it sufficiently manifested so to be Of the objection arising from them who pretend to this inspiration falsly we have spoken before and we are as yet dealing with them that owne the Book whereof we spake to be the Word of God and only call in Question the Grounds on which they doe so or on which others ought so to doe As to these it may suffice that in the strength of all the Authority and truth they professe to owne and acknowledge in it it declares the foundarion of its Acceptance to be no other but it s owne divine inspiration hence it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 13. Againe in that dispute that was between Abraham and the Rich man Luk. 16. 31. about the best and most effectuall meanes of bringing men to Repentance The Rich man in Hell speaking his owne conception fixes upon Miracles if one rise from the dead and preach the worke will be done Abraham is otherwise minded that is Christ was so the Author of that parable He bids them attend to Moses and the Prophets the Written VVord as that which all faith and Repentance was immediately to be grounded on The enquiry being how men might be best assured that any message is from God did not the Word manifest its selfe to be from him this direction had not been equall Sect. 14.
3. There are then two things that are accompanied with a selfe evidencing Excellency and every other thing doth so so far as it is pertaker of their nature and no otherwise now These are 1 Light 2. Power for or in Operation Sect. 4. 1 Light manifests its selfe Whatever is Light doth so that is it doth whatever is necessary on its own part for its manifestation and discovery Of the defects that are or may be in them to whom this discovery is made we do not as yet speak And whatever manifests its selfe is Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 5. 13. Light requires neither proofe nor Testimony for its Evidence Let the Sun arise in the firmament and there is no need of VVitnesses to prove and confirme unto a seeing man that it is day A small candle will so do Let the least child bring a candle into a roome that before was darke and it would be a madnesse to go about to prove by substantiall VVitnesses men of Gravity and Authority that Light is brought in Doth it not evince its selfe with an Assurance above all that can be obteined by any Testimony whatever Whatever is Light either naturally or morally so is revealed by its being so That which evidenceth not its selfe is not Light Sect. 5. That the Scripture is a Light we shall see immediately That it is so or can be called so unlesse it hath this nature and Property of Light to evidence its selfe as well as to give light unto others cannot in any tolerable correspondency of speech be allowed Whether Light spirituall and intellectuall regarding the mind or naturall with respect to bodily sight be firstly and properly Light from whence the other is by Allusion denominated I need not now enquire Both have the same properties in their severall kinds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true light shineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 1. 5. God himselfe is light and he inhabiteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6. 16. not a shining glistering brightnesse as some grosly imagine but the Glorious unsearchable Majesty of his owne Being which is inaccessible to our understandings So Isa 57. 15. inhabiteth eternity So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Psalmist thou cloathest thy selfe with Light and Dan. 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light remaineth with him God He is light essentially and is therefore known by the beaming of his Eternall Properties in all that outwardly is of him And light abides with him as the fountaine of it he communicating Light to all others This being the fountaine of all Light the more it participates of the nature of the fountaine the more it is Light and the more properly as the Properties and Qualities of it are considered It is then spirituall morall intellectuall Light with all its mediums that hath the preheminence as to a participation of the nature and properties of light Sect. 6. Now the Scripture the word of God is light those that reject it are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lights rebels men resisting the Authority which they cannot but be convinced of Psal 19. 9. 43. 3. 119. 105 130. Prov. 6. 23. Isa 9. 2. Hos 6. 5. Math. 4. 16. and 5. 14. Joh. 3. 20. 21 It is a Light so shining with the majesty of its Author as that it manifests its selfe to be his 2 Pet. 1. 19. A Light shining in a darke place with an eminent advantage for its own discovery as well as unto the benefit of others Sect. 7. Let a light be never so meane and contemptible yet if it shines casts out beames and raies in a dark place it will evidence its selfe If other things be wanting in the faculty the Light as to its innate Glory and beauty is not to suffer prejudice But the Word is a glorious shining Light as hath been shewed an illuminating Light compared to and preferred above the light of the Sun Psal 19. 5 6 7. Rom. 10. 18. Let not then a reproach be cast upon the most glorious Light in the world the most eminent reflexion of uncreated light and Excellencies that will not be fastened on any thing that on any account is so called Math. 5. 19. Sect. 8. Now as the Scripture is thus a Light we grant it to be the duty of the Church of any Church of every Church to hold it up whereby it may become the more conspicuous It is a ground and pillar to set this light upon 1 Tim. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may referre to the mistery of Godlinesse in the next words following in good coherence of speech as well as to the Church but granting the usuall reading no more is affirmed but that the Light and Truth of the Scripture is held up and held out by the Church It is the duty of every Church so to doe almost the whole of its duty And this duty it performes ministerially not Authoritatively A Church may beare up the light it is not the light It beares witnesse to it but kindles not one divine beame to further its discovery All the Preaching that is in any Church its Administration of Ordinances all its walking in the Truth hold up this light Sect. 9. Nor doth it in the least impaire this selfe evidencing Efficacy of the Scripture that it is a morall and spirituall not a naturall light The Proposition is Universall to all kinds of light yea more fully applicable to the former than the latter Light I confesse of it's selfe will not remove the defect of the visive faculty It is not given for that end Light is not Eyes It suffices that there is nothing wanting on it's owne part for it's discovery and Revelation To argue that the Sun cannot be knowne to be the Sun or the great meanes of communicating externall light unto the World because blind men cannot see it nor doe know any more of it then they are told will scarce be admitted nor doth it in the least impeach the Efficacy of the light pleaded for that men stupidly blind cannot comprehend it Joh. 1. 5. Sect. 10. I doe not assert from hence that wherever the Scripture is brought by what meanes soever which indeed is all one All that read it or to whom it is read must instantly of necessity assent unto it's Divine Originall Many men who are not starke blind may have yet so abused their Eyes that when a Light is brought into a darke place they may not be able to discerne it Men may be so preposessed with innumerable prejudices Principles received by stronge Traditions corrupt Affections making them hate the light that they may not behold the Glory of the word when it is brought to them But it is nothing to our present discourse whether any man living be able by and of himselfe to discerne this Light whilst the defect may be justly cast on their owne blindnesse 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. By the manifestation of the truth we commend our selves
and effectuall to that purpose It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 1. 21. The Word that hath power in it to save So Acts 20. 31. I commend you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the able powerfull Word And that we may know what kind of power it hath the Apostle tells us that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is living and effectuall Heb. 4. 12. and sharper then any two edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart It is designed of God to declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effectuall working of his power See Joh. 6. 68 69. 2 Cor. 6. 41. 2 Cor. 15. 58. Gal. 2. 8. By vertue of this Power it brought forth fruit in all the world Col. 1. 6. Without sword without for the most part miracles without humane Wisdome or Oratory without any inducements or motives but what were merely and solely taken from it's selfe consisting in thinges that eye had not seene nor eare heard nor could enter into the heart of man to conceive hath it exerted this it's power and efficacy to the conquest of the World causing men of all sorts in all times and places so to fall downe before its Divine Authority as immediatly to renounce all that was deare to them in the world and to undergoe whatever was draedful terrible and destructive to nature in all it 's dearest concernments Sect. 20. It hath been the worke of many to insist on the Particulars wherein this Power exerts it's selfe so that I shall not enlarge upon them In generall they have this Advantage that as they are all spirituall so they are such as have their seate dwelling and abode in the hearts and consciences of men whereby they are not liable to any Exception as though they were pretended Men cannot harden themselves in the rejection of the Testimony they give by sending for Magitians to doe the like or by any pretence that it is a common thing that is befallen them on whom the Word puts forth it 's power The seate and residence of these Effects is safeguarded against all Power Authority but that of God Its diveing into the hearts Consciences secret recesses of the minds of men its judging and sentencing of thē in themselves it's cōvictions terrours conquests and killing of men it 's converting building up making wise holy obedient its administring consolations in every condition and the like effects of it's power are usually Spoken unto Sect. 21. These are Briefly the foundations of the Answer returned to the Enquiry formerly laid downe which might abundantly be enlarged How know we that the Scripture is the Word of God how may others come to be assured thereof The Scripture say we beares Testimony to it's selfe that it is the Word of God that Testimony is the witnesse of God himselfe which who so doth not accept and believe he doth what in him lyes to make God a lyar To give us an infallible Assurance that in receiving this Testimony we are not imposed upon by cunningly devised fables the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptures have that Glory of Light and Power accompanying of them as wholy distinguisheth them by infallible signes and Evidences from all Words and Writings not divine conveying their Truth and Power into the soules and consciences of men with an infalible certainty On this account are they received by all that receive them as from God who have any reall distinguishing foundation of their faith which would not be seperated from these grounds as effectuall an expedient for the reception of the Alcoran CHAP. V. Of the Testimony of the Spirit Traditions Miracles Sect. 1. BEfore I proceed to the consideration of those other Testimonies which are as Arguments drawne from those innate Excellencies and Properties of the Word which I have insisted on some other things whose right understanding is of great importance in the cause underdebate must be laid downe and stated Some of these referre to that Testimony of the Spirit that is usually and truly pleaded as the great ascertaining Principle or that on the account whereof we receive the Scriptures to be the Word of God That it may be seene in what sense that is usually delivered by our Divines and how farre there is a coincidence between that Assertion and what we have delivered I shall lay downe what that Testimony is wherein it consists and what is the weight or stresse that we lay upon it Sect. 2. That the Scripture be received as the Word of God there is required a twofold Efficacy of the spirit The first respects the subject or the mind of man that assents unto the Authority of the Scripture now concerning this Act or worke of the Spirit whereby we are enabled to believe the Scripture on the account whereof we may say that we receive the Scripture to be the word of God or upon the Testimony of the Spirit I shall a little enquire what it is and wherein it doth consist Sect. 3. 1st Then It is not an outward or inward vocal Testimony concerning the Word as the Papists would impose upon us to believe and assent We doe not affirme that the spirit immediatly by himselfe saith unto every individuall Believer this Book is or containes the Word of God We say not that the Spirit ever spake to us of the Word but by the Word Such an Enthusiasme as they fancy is rarely pretended and where it is so it is for the most part quickly discovered to be a delusion We plead not for the usefulnesse much lesse the necessity of any such Testimony Yea the Principles we have laid downe resolving all faith into the Publick Testimony of the Scriptures themselves doe render all such private Testimonies altogether needlesse Sect. 4. 2ly This Testimony of the spirit consists not in a perswasion that a man takes up he knowes not well how or why only this he knowes he will not Depose it though it cost him his life This would be like that which by Morinus is ascribed to the Church of Rome which though it knew no Reason why it should preferre the vulgar latine Translation before the Originall yet by the guidance of the Spirit would doe so that is unreasonably But if a man should say that he is perswaded that the Scripture is the Word of God and that he will dye a 1000 times to give Testimony thereunto and not knowing any reall ground of this perswasion that should beare him out in such a Testimony shall ascribe it to the Spirit of God our concernment lyes not in that Perswasion This may befall men by the Advantage of Traditions whereof men are usually Zealous and obstinate in their defence Education in some constitutions will give pertinacy in most vaine and false perswasions It is not then a Resolution and Perswasion induced into our minds we know
its Truth It s Authority in its selfe is its Authority in respect of us nor hath it any whit more in its selfe then de jure it hath towards and over all them to whom it comes That de facto some do not submit themselves unto it is their sin rebellion This Truth and consequently this Authority is evidenced and made known to us by the publick Testimony which is given unto it by the Holy Ghost speaking in it with divine Light and Power to the minds soules and consciences of men being therein by its selfe proposed unto us We being enlightned by the Holy Ghost which in the Condition wherein we are is necessary for the Apprehension of any spirituall thing or truth in a spirituall manner we receive it and religiously subject our soules unto it as the VVord and VVill of the everliving soveraigne God and judge of all And if this be not a bottome and foundation of faith I here publickly Professe that for ought I know I have no faith at all Sect. 14. Having laid this stable foundation I shall with all possible brevity consider some pretences and Allegations for the confirmation of the Authority of the Scripture invented and made use of by some to divert us from that foundation the closing wherewith will in this matter alone bring peace unto our soules and so this Chapter shall as it were lay in the ballance and compare together the Testimony of the Spirit before mentioned and explained and the other pretences and pleas that shall now be examined Sect. 15. 1. Some say when on other accounts they are concerned so to say that we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome who received it by Tradition and this gives a credibility unto it Of Tradition in generall without this limitation which destroies it of the Church of Rome I shall speak afterwards Credibility either keeps within the bounds of probability as that may be heightned to a manifest uncontrâ—leablenesse whilst yet its principles exceed not that sphere in which sense it belongs not at all to our present discourse or it includes a firme suitable foundation for faith supernaturall and divine Have we in this sense received the Scripture from that Church as it is called is that Church able to give such a credibility to any thing or doth the Scripture stand in need of such a credibility to be given to it from that Church are not the first most false and is not the last blasphemous To receive a thing from a Church as a Church is to receive it upon the Authority of that Church If we receive any thing from the Authority of a Church we do it not because the thing its selfe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of Acceptation but because of the Authority alleadged If then we thus receive the Scriptures from the Church of Rome why in particular do we not receive the Apocryphall Books also which she receives How did the Church of Rome reâ—eive the Scriptures shall we say that she is authorized to give out what seemes Good to her as the Word of God not but she hath received them by Tradition so she pleads that she hath received the Apocryphall books also we then recive the Scriptures from Rome Rome by Tradition We make our selves Judges of that Tradition and yet Rome saith this is one thing that she hath by the same Tradition namely that she alone is judge of what she hath by Tradition But the common fate of lyars is befallen that Harlot she hath so long so constantly so desperately lyed in many the most things that she professeth pretending Tradition for them that indeed she deserves not to be believed when she telleth the Truth Besides She pleads that she received the Scriptures from the Beginning when it is granted that the copies of the Hebrew of the old and Greek of the new Testament were only authentick These she pleads now under her keeping to be woefully corrupted and yet is angry that we believe not her Tradition Sect. 16. Some adde that we receive the Scripture to be the Word of God upon the account of the miracles that were wrought at the giving of the Law and of the new Testament which miracles we have received by universall Tradition But first I desire to know whence it comes to passe that seeing our saviour Jesus Christ wrought many other miracles besides those that are written Joh. 20. 30. ch 21. 25. and the Apostles likewise they cannot by all their Traditions help us to so much as an obscure report of any one that is not written I speak not of Legends which yet at their performance were no lesse known then those that are nor were lesse usefull for the end of miracles then they Of Tradition in Generall afterwards But is it not evident that the miracles whereof they speak are preserved in the Scripture and no otherwise And if so can these miracles operate upon the understanding or judgment of any man unlesse they first grant the Scripture to be the Word of God I meane to the begetting of a divine faith of them even that there were ever any such miracles Suppose these miracles alleadged as the Ground of our believing of the word had not been written but like the Sybills leaves had been driven up and downe by the Worst and fiercest wind that blowes in this world the breath of man Those who should keepe them by tradition that is men are by nature so vaine foolish malicious such lyars adders detracters have spirits and minds so unsuited to spirituall things so liable to alteration in themselves and to contradiction one to another are so given to impostures and are so apt to be imposed upon have been so shuffled and driven up and downe the world in every Generation have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are whence they come or whether they are to goe that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for without any Evidence from the nature of the thing it 's selfe Sect. 17. Abstracting then from the Testimony given in the Scriptures to the miracles wrought by the prime Revealers of the mind and will of God in the Word and no tolerable assurance as to the businesse in hand where a foundation for faith is enquired after can be given that ever any such miracles were wrought If numbers of men may be allowed to speake we may have a Traditionall Testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Alcoran under the name of True miracles But the constant Tradition of more than a 1000 yeares carried on by innumerable multitudes of men great wise and sober from one Generation to another doth but set open the gates of hell for the Mahumetans Yet setting aside the Authority of God in his Word and what is resolved thereinto I know not why they may not vye Traditions with the rest of the world The world
indeed is full of Traditions flowing from the Word that is a knowledge of the Doctrines of the word in the minds of men but a Tradition of the Word not resolved into the Word a tradition referred to a fountaine of sense in seeing and hearing preserved as an orall law in a distinct channel and streame by it's selfe when it is evidenced either by instance in some particular preserved therein or in a probability of securing it through the Generations passed by a comparison of some such effect in things of the like kind I shall be ready to receive it Sect. 18. Give me then as I said before but the least obscure report of any one of those many miracles that were wrought by our Saviour and the Apostles which are not recorded in the scriptures and I shall put more valuation on the pretended Traditions than I can as yet perswade my selfe unto Besides many VVriters of the Scripture wrought no miracles and by this Rule their writings are left to shift for themselves Miracles indeed were necessary to take of all prejudices from the Persons that brought any new doctrine from God but the doctrine still evidenced it's selfe The Apostles converted many where they wrought no miracles Act. 16. 17 18 and where they did so worke yet they for their doctrine and not the doctrine on their account was received And the Scripture now hath no lesse Evidence and demonstration in it's selfe of it's Divinity than it had when by them it was preached Sect. 19. But because this Tradition is pretended with great confidence as a sure bottome and foundation for receiving of the Scriptures I shall a little farther enquire into it That which in this case is intended by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tradition is a Report of men which those who are present have received from them that are gone before them Now this may be either of All the men of the World or only of some of them if of All either their suffrages must be taken in some Convention or gathered up from the individualls as we are able and have opportunity If the first way of receiving them were possible which is the utmost improvement that Imagination can give the Authority enquired after yet every individuall of men being a Liar the whole convention must be of the same complexion and so not be able to yeild a sufficient basis to build a faith upon cui non potest subesse falsum that is infallible and cannot possibly be deceived much lesse is there any foundation for it in such a Report as is the Emergencie of the Assertion of Individualls Sect. 21. But now if this Tradition be alledged as preserved only by some in the World not the halfe of rationall Creatures I desire to know what reason I have to believe those who have that Tradition or plead that they have it before and against them who professe they have no such Report delivered to them from their forefathers Is the Reason hereof because I live among these who have this Tradition and they are my neighbours whom I know by the same Rule those who live among the other Parts of men are bound to receive what they deliver them upon Tradition and so men may be obliged to believe the Alcoran to be the Word of God Sect. 22. It is more probable it will be answered that their Testimony is to be received because they are the Church of God but it doth not yet appeare that I can any other way have any Kowledge of them so to be or of any Authority that any number of men more or lesse can have in this case under that Name or Notion unlesse by the Scripture it 's selfe And if so it will quickly appeare what place is to be allotted to their Testimony who cannot be admitted as Witnesses unlesse the Scripture it 's selfe be owned and received because they have neither plea nor claime to be so admitted but only from the Scripture If they shall averre that they take this honour to themselves and that without Relation to the Scripture they claime a right of Authoritative witnesse bearing in this case I say againe upon the generall grounds of naturall Reason and Equity I have no more inducements to give credit to their Assertions then to an alike number of men holding out a Tradition utterly to the contrary of what they assert Sect. 23. But yet suppose that this also were granted and that men might be allowed to speake in their owne name and Authority giving Testimony to themselves which upon the hypothesis under consideration God himselfe is not allowed to doe I shall desire to know whither when the Church declares the scriptures to be the Word of God unto us it doth apprehend any thing in the Scripture as the Ground of that Judgment and declaration or no If it sayes no but that it is proposed upon it's sole Authority then surely if we thinke Good to acquiesse in this decision of this doubt and enquiry it is full time for us to lay aside all our studdies and enquiries after the Mind of God and seek only what that man or those men say who are intrusted with this Authority as they say and as they would have us believe them though we know not at all how or by what meanes they came by it seeing they dare not pretend any thing from the Scripture least thereby they direct us to that in the first place Sect. 24. If it be said that they doe upon other accounts judge and believe the scripture to be true and to be the Word of God I suppose it will not be thought unreasonable if we enquire after those Grounds and accounts seeing they are of so great concernement unto us All Truths in Relations consisting in their consonancy and Agreement to the nature of the things they deliver I desire to know how they came to judge of the consonancy betweene the nature of the things delivered in the Scripture and the delivery of them therein The things whereof we speake being heavenly spirituall mysterious and supernaturall there cannot be any knowledge obtained of them but by the Word it 's selfe How then can they make any Judgment of the Truth of that Scripture in the Relation of these things which are no where to be known I speak of many of them in the least but by that Scripture its selfe Sect. 25. If they shall say that they found their judgment and declaration upon some discovery that the Scripture makes of its selfe unto them they affirme the same that we plead for only they would very desireously appropriate to themselves the Priviledge of being able to discerne that discovery so made in the Scripture To make good this claime they must either plead somewhat from themselves or from the Scriptures if from themselves it can be nothing but that they see like the men of China and all others are blind or have but one eye at the best
being wiser then any others and more able to discerne then they Now though I shall easily grant them to be very subtle and cunning yet that they are so much wiser then all the world besides that they are meet to impose upon their beliefe things that they neither do nor can discerne or know I would not be thought to admit untill I can believe my selfe and all others not of their society or combination to be beasts of the field and they as the serpent amongst us Sect. 26. If it be from the Scripture that they seek to make Good this claime then as we cause them there to make a stand which is all we aime at so their plea must be from the promise of some speciall Assistance granted to them for that purpose if their assistance be that of the spirit it is either of the spirit that is promised to believers to worke in them as before described and related or it is some private Testimony that they pretend is afforded to them If the former be affirmed we are in a condition wherein the necessity of devolving all on the scripture its selfe to decide and judge who are beleivers lies in every ones view if the latter who shall give me Assurance that when they pretend that witnesse and Testimony they do not lye and deceive we must here certainly go either to the Scrippture or to some cunning man to be resolved Isa 8. 19 20. Sect. 27. I confesse the Argument which hath not long since been singled out and dextrovsly mannaged by an able and learned pen namely of proving the Truth of the doctrine of the Scripture from the Truth of the story and the Truth of the story from the certainty there is that the Writers of the Books of the Bible were those Persons whose names and inscriptions they beare so pursuing the Evidence that what they wrote was true and known to them so to be from all requisita that may possibly be sought after for the strengthening of such Evidence is of great force and efficacy It is I say of great force and efficacy as to the end for which it is insisted on that is to satisfy mens rational Enquiries but as to a ground of faith it hath the same insufficiency with all other Arguments of the like kind Though I should grant that the Apostles penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry honesty integrity faithfullnesse holinesse that ever lived in the world as they were and that they wrote nothing but what themselves had as Good Assurance of as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attaine yet such a Knowledge and Assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God if they received not every Word by inspiration and that evidencing it's selfe unto us otherwise then by the Authority of their Integrity it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon Sect. 28. Before the committing of the Scriptures to writing God had given the World an Experiment what keepers men were of this Revelation by tradition Within some hundreds of yeares after the flood all knowledge of him through the craft of Sathan and the vanity of the minds of men which is unspeakable was so lost that nothing but as it were the creation of a new World or the Erection of a new Church state by new Revelations could relieve it After that great triall what can be farther pretended on the behalfe of Tradition I know not Sect. 29. The summe of all is The mercifull Good Providence of God having by divers and various meanes using therin amongst other things the ministry of men and Churches preserved the Writings of the Old and New Testament in the World and by the same gratious disposall afforded them unto us they are received and submitted unto by us upon the Grounds and evidences of their divine Originall before insisted on Sect 30. Upon the whole matter then I would know whither if the Scriptures should be brought to any man when or where he could not possibly have it attested to be the Word of God by any publick or private Authority of man or Church Tradition or otherwise he were bound to believe it or no whither he should obey God in believing or sin in the rejecting of it suppose de do but take it into consideration doe but give it the reading or hearing seeing in every place it avers it's selfe to be the Word of God he must of necessity either give credit unto it or disbelieve it To hang in suspense which ariseth from the imperfect actings of the faculties of the soule is in it's selfe a weaknesse and in this case being reckoned no the worst side is interpretatively a Rejection If you say it were the duty of such an one to believe it you acknowledge in the scripture it 's selfe a sufficient Evidence of it's own originall Authority without which it can be no man's duty to believe it If you say it would not be his sinne to reject and refuse it to disbelieve all that it speakes in the name of God then this is that you say God may truly and really speake unto a man as he doth by the Scripture and yet that man not be bound to believe him We deale not thus with one another Sect. 31. To wind up then the plea insisted on in the foregoing Chapter concerning the selfe evidencing Light and Power of the Scripture from which we have diverted and to make way for some other considerations that tend to the confirmation of their divine Originall I shall close this discourse with the two generall considerations following Sect. 32. 1 Then laying aside these failing pleas there seemes to be a morall impossibility that the Word of God should not manifest it 's own Originall and it's Authority from thence Quaelibet herba deum There is no Worke of God as was shewed but reveales it's Authour A curious Artificer imparts that of forme shape proportion and comelinesse to the fruit of his Invention and worke of his hands that every one that looks upon it must conclude that it comes from skill and Ability A man in the delivery of his mind in the writing of a Book will give it such an impression of Reason that though you cannot conclude that this or that man wrote it yet you must that it was the product of a man or Rationall creature yea some individuall men of Excellency in some skill are instantly knowne by them that are able to judge in that Art or skill by the Effects of their skill This is the Peice this is the hand the Worke of such an one How easy is it for those who are conversant about antient Authours to discover an Authour by the spirit and stile of his writings Now certainly this is strange beyond all beliefe that almost every Agent should give an impresse to it's worke whereby it may be appropriated unto him and only the
both opinions and Principles confirmed by suitable Practises that are of the nature and importance before mentioned 1 After a long dispute to that purpose it is determined that the Hebrew Points or Vowels and Accents are a novell Invention of some Judaicall Rabbins about 5 or 600 yeares after the giving out of the Gospell Hence 1. An Antiquity is ascribed to some Translations 2 or 3 at the least above and before the invention of these points whose agreement with the Originall cannot therefore by just consequence be tryed by the Present Text as now pointed and accented 2. The whole credit of our Reading and Interpretation of the Scripture as far as regulated by the present punctation depends solely on the faithfulnesse and skill of those Jewes whose invention this worke is asserted to be 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which sort are above 800 in the Hebrew Bibles are various Lections partly gathered by some Judaicall Rabbins out of ancient copies partly their criticall amendments And therefore After these various lections as they are esteemed are presented unto us in their own proper order wherein they stand in the great Bibles not surely to increase the Bulke of divers Readings or to present a face of new variety to a lesse attentive Observer but to evidence that they are such various lections as above described they are given us over a second time in the method whereinto they are cast by Capellus the great patriarch of these mysteries 3. That there are such Alterations befallen the Originall as in many places may be rectified by the Translations that have been made of old And therefore Various Lections may be observed and gathered out of those Translations by considering how they read in their copies and wherein they differed from those which we now enjoy 4. It is also declared that where any grosse faults or corruptions are befallen the originalls men may by their faculty of criticall conjecturing amend them and restore the native Lections that were lost though in generall without the Authority of Copies this be not to be allowed And therefore A collection of various Readings out of Grotius consisting for the most part in such conjectures is in the Appendix presented unto us 5. The voluminous Bulke of various Lections as nakedly exhibited seemes sufficient to be get scruples and doubts in the minds of men about the Truth of what hath been hitherto by many pretended concerning the Preservation of the Scripture through the care and providence of God Sect. 8. It is known to all men acquainted with things of this nature that in all these there is no new opinion coyned or maintained by the learned prefacer to these Bibles The severalls mentioned have been asserted and maintained by sundry learned men Had the opinion about them been kept in the ordinary Sphere of mens private conceptions in their own private writings running the hazard of mens Judgments on their own strength and Reputation I should not from my former discourse have esteemed my selfe concerned in them Every one of us must give an account of himselfe unto God It will be well for us if we are found holding the foundation If we build hay and stubble upon it though our work perish we shall be saved Let every man in these things be fully perswaded in his own mind it shall be to me no offence It is their being laid as the foundation of the usefulnesse of these biblia polyglotta with an endeavour to render them catholick not in their own strength but in their Appendage to the Authority that on Good grounds is expected to this work that calls for a due consideration of them All men who will find them stated in these prolegomena may not perhaps have had leasure may not perhaps have the Ability to know what issue the most of these things have been already driven unto in the writings of private men Sect. 9. As I willingly grant then that some of these things may without any great prejudice to the Truth be candidly debated amongst learned men so taking them altogether placed in the advantages they now enjoy I cannot but look upon them as an engine suited to the destruction of the important truth before pleaded for and as a fit weapon put into the hands of men of Atheisticall minds and Principles such as this Age abounds withall to oppose the whole evidence of Truth revealed in the Scripture I feare with some either the pretended infallible Judge or the depth of Atheisme will be found to lye at the door of these considerations Hoc Ithacus vellet But the debate of the Advantage of either Romanists or Atheists from hence belongs to another place and season Nor is the guilt of any consequences of this nature charged on the workmen which yet may be fear'd from the worke its selfe CHAP. II. 1 Of the Purity of the Originals 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture lost 3 That of Moses how and how long preserved Of the book found by Hilkiah 4 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the New Testament 5 Of the first copies of the originalls the Scribes of those copies not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is ascribed to them 9 The great and incomparable care of the scribes of it 7 The whole VVord of God in every Tittle of it preserved entire in the copies of the Originall extant 8 Heads of Arguments to that purpose 9 What various lections are granted in the Originall of the old and new Testament Sundry considerations concerning them manifesting them to be of no importance 10. 11. 12. 13. That the Jews have not corrupted the Text the most probable instances considered Sect. 1. HAving given an account of the Occasion of this discourse and mentioned the particulars that are all or some of them to be taken into further consideration before I proceed to their discussion I shall by way of Addition and Explanation to what hath been delivered in the former Treatise give a briefe account of my Apprehensions concerning the purity of the present Originall copies of the Scripture or rather copies of the Originall languages which the Church of God doth now and hath for many Ages enjoyed as her cheifest Treasure whereby it may more fully appeare what it is we plead for and defend against the insinuations and pretences above mentioned Sect. 2. First then it is granted that the individuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles are in all probability and as to all that we know utterly perished and lost out of the world As also the copies of Ezra The Reports mentioned by some to the contrary are open fictions The individuall Inke and Parchment the Rolls or books that they wrote could not without a miracle have been preserved from mouldring into dust before this time Nor doth it seeme improbable that God was willing by their losse to reduce us to a nearer consideration of his care
c. pag. 233 that many corruptions have crept into it by negligence and the carelessnesse of Scribes so 7 Bellarmine 8 Genebrard 9 Sixtus Sinensis with most of the rest of them In these things indeed they have been opposed by the most learned of their own side as 10 Arias Montanus 11 Jobannes Isaack 12 Pineda 13 Masius 14 Ferarius 15 Andradius sundry others who speake honourably of the Originals But in nothing do they so pride themselves as in this conceit of the Novelty of the Hebrew punctation whereby they hope with Abimelech's servants utterly to stop the wells or fountaines from whence we should draw our soules refreshment Sect. 4. This may serve for a short view of the Opinions of the parties at variance and their severall interests in these Opinions The importance of the points is on all hands acknowledged whether ayming at the Honour or dishonour of the Originalls Vowels are the life of words Consonants without them are dead and immoveable by them are they carried to any sense may be to diverse It is true that men who have come to acquaintance with the scriptures by the help of the Vowels Accents being in possession of an habitual notion apprehension of that sense and meaning which ariseth from them may possibly thinke that it were a facile thing to find out and fix upon the same sense by the helpe of the matres lectionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Consideration of Antecedents and Consequents with such like Assistances But let them be all taken out of the way as I shall manifest it is fit they should be if they have the originall assigned to them by the Prolegomena and let men lay aside that Advantage they have received from them and it will quickly appeare into what devious wayes all sorts of such Persons will run Scarcse a Chapter it may be a verse or a Word in a short time would be left free from perplexing contradicting conjectures The Words are altogether innumerable whose significations may be varied by an arbitrary supplying of the points And when the Regulation of the punctation shall be left to every single Person 's conjectures upon Antecedents and Consequents for who shall give a rule to the rest what end shall we have of fruitlesse contests What various what pernitious senses shall we have to contend about suppose that men sober modest humble pious might be preserved from such miscariages be brought to some agreement about these things which yet in these dayes upon many accounts is not to be looked for yea from the nature of the thing it selfe seemes impossible yet this gives us but an humane fallible perswasion that the readings fixed on by them is according to the mind of God But to expect such an agreement is fond foolish Besides who shall secure us against the luxuriant Atheisticall Wits spirits of these dayes who are bold upon all advantages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to break in upon every thing that is holy and sacred that they will not by their huckstering utterly corrupt the Word of God How easy is it to foresee the dangerous consequents of contending for various readings though not false nor pernitious by men pertinaciously adhering to their own conjectures The Word of God as to its literall sense or Reading of the words of it hath hitherto beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the acknowledged touchstone of all Expositions Render this now à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what have we remaining firme and unshaken Sect. 5. Let men with all their confidence as to the knowledge of the sense and meaning of the Scriptures which they have already received by such helps and meanes as are all of them resolved into the present punctation of the Bible For all Grammars all Lexicons the whole Massora all helpes to this language new and old in the world are built on this foundation reduce themselves to such an indifferency as some of late have fancied as a meet rise for knowledge and fall seriously to the Reading of some of the Prophets whose matter is sublime and Mysticall and their Stile elipticall and abstruse without the help of points and Accents Let them fix them or any figures to answer their sounds arbitrarily merely on their judgment in the Language and conjectures at the sense of the place without any advantage from what they have been instructed in and let us see whether they will agree as they fabulously report of the 70 Translators What ever may be the issue of their industry we need not feare quickly to find as learned as they that would lay their worke levell with the ground I confesse considering the dayes we live in wherein the bold and curious wits of men under pretence of criticall observations alluring and entising with a shew of Learning have ventured to question almost every word in the Scripture I cannot but tremble to thinke what would be the issue of this supposition that the Points Vowels and Accents are no better guides unto us than may be expected from those who are pretended to be their Authours The Lord I hope will safeguard his owne from the poyson of such Attempts The least of its evill is yet throughly considered So that whereas saving to my selfe the liberty of my Judgment as to sundry particulars both in the impression its selfe and in sundry Translations I acknowledge the great usefullnesse of this worke and am thankfull for it which I here publickly testify yet I must needs say I had rather that it and all workes of the like kind were out of the world than that this one opinion should be received with the Consequences that unavoidably attend it Sect. 6. But this triall needs not be feared Grant the points to have the Originall pretended yet they deserve all regard and are of singular use for the right understanding of the scripture so that it is not lawfull to depart from them without urgent necessity and Evidences of a better lâ—ction to be substituted in the roome of that refused But as this relieves us not but still leaves us within the spheare of rationall conjectures So whether it can honestly be pretended and pleaded in this case comes nextly to be discovered by the consideration of the supposed Authors of this Invention Sect. 7. The founders of this story of the Invention of the Hebrew points tell us that it was the Worke of some Rabbins living at Tiberias a City in Galilee about the yeare of Christ 500 or in the next Century after the death of Hierome and the finishing of the Babilonian Talmud The improbability of this story or Legend I am not now to insist upon Morinus makes the lye lowder He tels us that the Babilonian Talmud was finished but a little before the yeare 700 Ex. 2. Cap. 3. par poster that the Massorites to whome he ascribes the invention of the points wrote a long time after the finishing of the Talmud and the year
Sect. 18. It may perhaps be thought that by the account given of the Rabbins their state and condition of old and of late I might have weakned one great Argument which learned men make use of to confirme the sacred Antiquity of the present Hebrew punctation taken from the universall consent and testimony of the Jewish Doctors Ancient and moderne this one Elias excepted Who can thinke such persons are in any thing to be believed But indeed the case is quite otherwise Though we account them wholy unmeet for the worke that is ascribed unto them and on supposition that it is theirs affirme that it had need undergoe another manner of triall then as yet out of Reverence to its generally received Antiquity it hath met withall yet they were men still who were full-well able to declare what de facto they found to be so and what they found otherwise It cannot I think be resonably supposed that so many men living in so many severall Ages at such vast distances from one another who some of them it may be never heard of the names of other some of them should conspire to cousen themselves and all the world besides in a matter of fact not at all to their Advantage However for my part what ever can be proved against them I shall willingly admit But to be driven out of such a rich possession as is the present Hebrew punctation upon mere surmises and conjectures I cannot willingly give way or consent Sect. 19. It is not my designe to give in Arguments for the Divine original of the present Hebrew punctation neither doe I Judge it necessary for any one so to doe whilest the learned Buxtorfius discourse de origine antiquitate punctorum lyes unanswered I shall therefore only adde one or two considerations which to me are of weight and not as I remember mentioned by him or his Father in his Tiberias or any other that I know of in their disputes to this purpose 1 If the points or vowels and Accents be coaevous with the rest of the Letters or have an originall before all Grammar of that Language as indeed languages are not made by Grammar but Grammars are made by Languages then the Grammar of it and them must be collected from the observation of their use as they were found in all their variety before any such art was invented or used and Rules must be suited thereunto The drawing into Rules all the Instances that being uniforme would fall under such Rules and the distinct observation of Anomalous words either singly or in Exceptions comprehending many under one head that would not be so reduced was the worke of Grammar But on the other side if the Vowels and Accents were invented by themselves and added to the Letters then the Rule and Art of disposing transposing and changing of them must be constituted and fixed before the disposition of them for they were placed after the Rules made and according to them A middle way that I know of cannot be fixed on Either they are of the Originall writing of the Language and have had Rules made by their station therein or they have been supplyed unto it according to Rules of Art Things are not thus come to passe by chance nor was this world created by a casuall concurrence of these Atomes Now if the Grammar or Art was the ground foundation not the product of their use as I am confident I shall never see a tolerable answer given to that enquiry of Buxtorfius the elder in his Tiberias why the Inventors of them left so many words Anomalous and pointed otherwise then according to Rule or the constant course of the Language precisely reckoning them up when they had so done and how often they are so used as and ⸪ for Ëœ and for Ï„ and the like when they might if they had so pleased have made them all regular to their owne great ease advantage of their Language and facilitating the learning of it to all posterity the thing they seeme to have aimed at so I cannot be satisfied why in that long operous and curious worke of the Massorites wherein they have reckoned up every word in the Scripture have observed the irregularity of every tittle and letter that they never once attempt to give us out those Catholique Rules whereby they or their masters proceeded in affixing the points or whence it came to passe that no learned Jew for 100 ds of yeares after should be able to acquaint us with that way but in all their Grammaticall Instructions should merely collect Observations and inculcate them an 100 times over according as they present themselves to them by particular Instances Assuredly had this wonderâ—ull Art of pointing which for the most part may be reduced to catholique Rules and might have wholy been so if it were an arbitrary Invention limited to no praeexisting wiritng been found out first and established as the norma and canon of affixing the vowels some footsteps of it would have remained in the Massora or among some of the Jewes who spent all their time and dayes in the consideration of it Sect. 20. 2 In the dayes of the Chaldee Paraphrast when the Prophesies of the Humiliation and death of their Messiah were only not understood by them yet we see into how many severall wayes and senses they are wrested by that Paraphrast to affix some tolerable meaning to them Take an instance on Isaiah the 53 Jonathan there acknowledges the whole prophesy to be intended of Christ as knowing it to be the common faith of the Church but not understanding the state of humiliation which the Messias was to undergoe he wrests the words into all formes to make that which is spoken passively of Christ or to his suffering from others to signify actively as to his doing and exercising judgment upon others But now more then 500 yeares after when these points are supposed to be invented when the Rabbins were awake and knew full well what use was made of those places against them as also that the Prophets especially Esaiah are the most obscure part of the whole Scripture as to the Grammaticall sense of their words in their coherence without points and Accents and how facile it were to invert the whole sense of many periods by small alterations in these Rules of reading yet as they are pointed they make out incomparably more clearly the Christian faith then any ancient Translations of those places whatever Johannes Isaac a converted Jew lib. 1. ad Lindan tels us that above 200 Testimonies about Christ may be brought out of the Originall Hebrew that appeare not in the vulgar latine or any other Translation And Raymundus Martinus noverint quae ejusmodi sunt that his who blamed him for translating things immediately out of the Hebrew not following the vulgar latine in plurimis valde sacrae scripturae locis veritatem multo planius atque perfectius pro fide Christiana haberi in litera hebraica
to all places as well as to any and may not men plead so for every variation made by the Seaventy from the Originall they had other Copies then any now are extant better all old Translations should be consumed out of the Earth then such a figment should be admitted That there are innumerable other Reasons to be assigned of the Variations from the Originall as the Translatours owne inadvertency negligence Ignorance for the wisest see not all desire to expound and cleare the sense as it was likely of altering varying many things from the Originall with the innumerable corruptions Interpolations that have befallen that Translation indifferently well witnessed unto by the various lections exhibited in the Appendix it were easy to manifest seeing then that neither the care of God over his Truth nor the fidelity of the Judaicall Church whilest the Oracles of God were committed thereunto will permit us to entertaine the least suspicion that there was ever in the world any Copy of the Bible differing in the least from that which we enjoy or that those we have are corrupted as is pretended and seeing that the Authours of that insinuation cannot produce the least testimony to make it good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the mercy and goodnesse of God in the entire unquestionable possession of his Oracles once committed to the Jewes and the faith therein once committed to the Saints But now to suppose that such indeed hath been the condition of the holy Bible in it's Originalls as is pretended let us consider whether any reliefe in this case be to be expected from the Translations exhibited unto us with much paines care and diligence in these Biblia-Polyglotta and so at once determine that Question whether this be any part of the use of Translations be they never so ancient namely to correct the Originals by leaving further discussion of sundry things in and about them to other Exercitations Sect. 7 1. That all or any Translation may be esteemed usefull for this purpose I suppose without any contention it will be granted 1. That we be certaine concerning them that they are translated out of the Originalls themselves and not out of the Interpretations of them that went before them for if that appeare all their Authority as to the businesse enquired after falls to the ground or is at best resolved into that former whence they are taken if they are at agreement therewith otherwise they are a thing of naught and this one consideration will be found to lay hold of one moiety of these Translations 2ly That they be of venerable Antiquity so as to be made when there were other Copies of the Originall in the world besides that which we now enjoy 3ly That they be knowne to be made by men of ability and integrity found in the faith and conscientiously carefull not to adde or detract from the Originalls they made the Translation out of If all these things at least concurre not in a Translation it is most undenyably evident that it can be of no use as to assist in the finding out what corruptions have befallen our Copies and what is the true Lection of any place about which any differences do arise Let us then as without any prejudice in our selves so without I hope any offence to others very briefly consider the state and condition of the Translations given us in the Biblia Polyglotta as to the Qualifications layd downe Sect. 8. Let us then take a view of some of the chiefest of them without observing any order seeing there is no more Reason for that which is layd down in this Appendix then for any other that may be fixed on I shall begin with the Arabick for the honour I beare to the renounedly learned publisher of it the various lections of the severall Copies thereof and the rather because he hath dealt herein with his wonted candor giving in a cleare and learned account of the Originall and Nature of that Translation which I had for the substance of it received from him in a discourse before wherein also he gave me a satisfactory account concerning some other translations which I shall not need now to mention though I shall only say his judgment in such things is to be esteemed at least equall with any now alive Then he tells us upon the matter that this Translation is a Cento made up of many ill suted pieces there being no Translation in that Language extant I speake of the old Testament 2ly For the Antiquity of the most ancient part of it was made about the yeare 4700 of the Jews account that is of Christ 950. 3ly It was as to the Pentateuch translated by R Saadias Haggaon 4ly That it is interpreted changed in sundry things by some other persō 5ly That he who made these chāges seem'd to have so done that he might the better thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to some particular Opinion of his own whereof sundry instances are given 6ly That he seemes to have been a Mahumetan or at least much to have favoured them as appeares from other Evidences so from the inscription of his worke with that soleme motto taken out of the Alcoran in nomine Dei miseratoris misericordis 6ly It may be thought also that some other a Jew or a Samaritan had his hand in corrupting the last Translation 7ly Who thought to stamp a divine Authority upon his particular Opinions 8ly That the foundation of this Translation now printed bein that of Saadias it is observable that he professeth that he did both adde and detract according as he thought meet that so he might set out the hidden Cabbalisticall understanding of the Scripture 9ly That the other Arabick Translations that are extant are out of the Seventy either immediately or by the Syriack which was Translated out of it on these and the like heads doth that Oracle of the Easterne learning who hath not only as some learned the words of some of those Languages but searched with great diligence and judgment into the nature of the learning extant in them and the importance of the Bookes we have discourse in that preface It is the way of Sciolists when they have obtained a little skill in any language or science to perswade the World that all worth and wisdome lyes therein men throughly learned and whose learning is regulated by a sound Judgment know that the true use of their abilities consists in the true suiting of men to a cleare acquaintance with truth In that kind not only in this particular are we beholding to this Worthy learned Person I suppose there will not need much arguing to prove that this Translation though exceeding usefull in its own place and kind yet is not in the least a fit remedy to relieve us against any pretended corruption in the Originall or to gather various lections different from our present Copy by Well may it exercise the ability of learned men to consider wherein
hand for their reliefe It is of the Text without such suppositions that this insinuation is made now to cast scruples into the minds of men about the integrity and sincerity of that without sufficient ground or warrant is surely not allowable It is not good to deale so with men or their writings much lesse with the Word of God Should any man write that in case of such a mans theft or murder who is a man of unspotted reputation it were good to take such or such a course with him and publish it to the world would their stirring of such rumours be looked on as an honest Christian and candid course of proceeding And is it safe to deale so with the Scripture I speake of Protestants for Papists who are growne bold in the opposition to the Originalls of the Scripture I must needs say that I look upon them as effectually manageing a designe of Sathan to draw men into Atheisme Nor in particular doe I account of Morinus his Exercitations one whit better It is readily acknowledged that there are many difficult places in the Scripture especially in the Historicall Bookes of the old Testament Some of them have by some been lookt at as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The industry of learned men of old and of late Jewes and Christians have been well excercised in the Interpretation and reconciliation of them by one or other a faire probable account is given of them all Where we cannot reach the utmost depth of truth it hath been thought meet that poore wormes should captivate their understandings to the truth and Authority of God in his word If there be this liberty once given that they may be looked on as corruptions and amended at the pleasure of men how we shall be able to stay before we come to the bottome of questioning the whole Scripture I know not That then which yet we insist upon is that according to all Rules of equall procedure men are to prove such Corruptions before they entertaine us with their provision of meanes for remedy Sect. 18. For the Specimen of various lections gathered out of Grotius his Annotations I shall not much concerne my selfe therein they are nothing lesse then various lections of that learned mans own observations set aside 1. The various lections of the 70 and vulgar latine of Symmachus Aquila and Theodotion wherein we are not concerned 2ly The Keri and Cethib which we have often times over and over in this Volume 3ly The various readings of the Orientall and Occidentall Jewes which we have also elsewhere 4ly Conjectures how the 70 or vulgar latin read by altering letters only 5ly Conjectures of his own how the Text may be mended and a very little roome will take up what remaines By that cursory view I have taken of them I see not one word that can pretend to be a various lection unlesse it belong to the Keri and Cethib or the difference between the Orientall and the Occidentall Jews so that as I sayd before as to my present designe I am not at all concerned in that collection those that are may further consider it Sect. 19. As short an account will seeme for the generall consideration of the whole bulkie collection of various lections that we have here presented unto us for those of the severall Translations we are not at all concerned in them where any or all of them faile or are corrupted we have a Rule blessed be God preserved to rectify them by For those of the Originalls I have spoken to them in particular I shall only adde that we have some of them both from the old and new Testament given us thrice over at least many of the Keri and Cethib after a double service done by them are given us againe the third time by Grotius so also are those of the new Testament by the same Grotius and Lucas Brugensis FINIS Errata Pag. lin 11 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20 13 for to read too 24 8 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 22 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 7 after 8 adde 20 38 19 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 41 ult for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44 11 for Rationaâ—ll r. rationall ib. l. 14. r. Eternall 45 16 dele Au. 54 20 for as r. us 72 6 for pertaker r. partaker 84. 11 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 39 1 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 116 pen for de r. he 117 8 for no. r. on 135 3. undrtaking r. undertaking 186 2 for Posittion r. Position l. ult for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 209 2 foâ— Zimenius r. Ximenius 213 8 for tho r. the 219 13 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 221 4. f. is yet r. is not yet 226 18 on wards r. onwards 263 15 f. to r. too 256 10 f. or r. as 257 9 f. his r. is 271 12 f. miskna r. mishna  21 f. punctat r. puritat 272 2. speakes r. speake  11 word r. words 275 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 288 24 things r. Kings 294 11 noted r. naked 296 23 tye us r. arise 299 23 nor r. or  24 superis r. capuis 308 22 worth r. worke 313 11 the volume r. that volume 316 7 that was r. it was Dr. OWEN Of the Divine Orig. of the Scriptures Erasmuâ— 1. Praef. in 5. lib. Mos 2. In August de Civit Dei lib. 15. cap. 13. 3 Defens Conc. Trid lib. 4. 4 Proleg Biblica 5 Praef. in Bibl in Lat passim 6 Praef. in Comment in Josh 7 Loc. Com. lib. 1. cap. 13. 8 De opt Gen. Interpr lib. 1. 9. Lib. 2. de verb. Dei 10 Tom. 1. D. 5 Q. 3. 11 De Translat Stae cum Comment in Jsa 12 Epito Controv Contr. 1. C. 8. 13. Dispunctio Calum Casaub Pined lib. 5. de Reb. Solom C. 4. S. 1. Morin Exercit de Sincerit Exerc. 1. c. 2. cap. 10. lib. Edm. Castel Praef. ad Animad Samar in Bib. Poly. Mich. le Jay Praefat ad opus Bibl Simeon de Muys Defens â—â—nc Text. Heb. * M. G. F. Mr. I. G. Dr. Henry Wilkinson publick Reader of Divinity in the University * Haebraea volumina nec in una dictione corrupta invenies Sant Pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 18. a Reading in the margin and writing in the line b Correctio scribarum or the amendment of some small apicuâ—i in 18 places c Ablatio scribarum or a note of the â—edundancy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 5 places Vid Raymond pugio fid Petruâ— Galat lib â— cap 8 Haebraei V. T. Codices per universum terrarum orbem per Europam Afiam A fricam ubique sibi sunt similes eodémque modo ab omnibus