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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	account_n	divine_a	great_a	113	3	2.0814	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90280	Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoyned some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internall Light, revelation, &c. / By Iohn Owen: D.D.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1659 (1659)	Wing O784; Thomason E1866_1; Thomason E1866_1*; ESTC R203092	144,024	386

Word wherein it was the designe of the Great and Holy God to give us a portraiture as it were of his Wisdome Holinesse and Goodnesse so farre as we are capable of an Acquaintance with him in this Life is not able to declare and evince it's Originall That God who is prima Veritas the first and soveraigne Truth infinitely seperated and distinguished from all creatures on all accounts whatever should Write a Book or at least immediately indite it commanding us to receive it as his under the penalty of his Eternall displeasure and yet that Booke not make a sufficient discovery of it's selfe to be his to be from him is past all beliefe Let men that live on things received by Tradition from their Fathers who perhaps never had sense of any reall Transaction betweene God and their soules who scarse ever perused the Word seriously in their lives nor brought their Consciences to it please themselves in their owne imaginations The sure Anchor of a soule that would draw nigh to God in and by his Word lyes in the things laid downe Sect. 33. I suppose it will not be denyed but that it was the Mind and Will of God that those to whom his Word should come should owne it and receive it as his if not it were no sinne in them to reject it unto whom it doth so come if it were then either he hath given those Characters unto it and left upon it that impression of his majesty whereby it might be knowne to be his or he hath not done so and that either because he would not or because he could not To say the latter is to make him more i●firme than a man or other wormes of the earth than any naturally e●fectuall cause He that saith the former must know that it is incumbent on him to yeild a satisfactory account why God would not doe so or else he will be thought blasphemously to impute a want of that Goodnesse Love of mankind unto him which he hath in infinite Grace manifested to be in himselfe That no man is able to assigne any such Reason I shall firmly believe untill I find some attempting so to doe which as yet none have arrived at that height of Impudence and wickednesse as to owne Sect. 34. 2ly How horrible is it to the thoughts of any Saint of God that the scripture should not have it's Authority from it's selfe Tertullian objects this to the Gentiles Apol. Cap. 5. Facit hoc ad causam nostram quod apud vos de humano arbitratu divinitas pensitatur nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit homo ja● Deo propiti●s esse debebit Would it be otherwise in this case if the Scripture must stand to the mercy of man for the Reputation of its Divinity nay of its verity for whence it hath its Authority thence it hath its verity also as was observed before and many more words of this nature might be added CHAP. VI. Consequentiall considerations for the confirmation of the divine Authority of the Scripture Sect. 1. I said in the former Chapter that I would not employ my selfe willingly ●o enervate or weaken any of the Reasons or Arguments that are usually insisted on to prove the divine Authority of the Scripture Though I confesse I like not to multiply Arguments that conclude to a probability only and are suited to beget a firme Opinion at best where the principle intended to be evinced is de fide and must be beleived with faith divine and supernaturall Yet because some may happily be kept to some kind of Adherence to the Scriptures by meane grounds that will not in their owne strength abide untill they get footing in those that are more firme I shall not make it my businesse to drive them from their present station having perswaded them by that which is better Sect. 2. Yea because on Supposition of the Evidence formerly tenderd there may be great use at severall seasons of some consequentiall considerations and Arguments to the purpose in hand I shall insist on two of that kind which to me who have the Advantage of receiving the Word on the forementioned account seeme not only to perswade and in a great measure to convince to undeniable probability but also to prevaile irresistably on the understanding of unprejudiced men to close with the divine Truth of it Sect. 3. The first of these is taken from the nature of the doctrine its selfe contained in the Scripture the second from the mannagement of the whole designe therein the first is innate the other of a more externall and Rationall consideration Sect. 4. For the first of them there are two things considerable in the doctrine of the Scripture that are powerfull and if I may so say uncontroleably prevalent as to this purpose Sect. 5. First its universall suitablenesse upon its first cleare discovery and Revelation to all the Entanglements and perple●ities of the soules of men in reference to their Relation to and dependance upon God If all mankind have certaine Entanglements upon their hearts and spirits in reference unto God which none of them that are not utterly brutish do not wrestle withall and which all of them are not able in the least to assoyle themselves in and about certainly that Doctrine which is suited universally to satisfy all their perplexities to calme and quiet their spi●its in all their tumultuatings and doth break in upon them with a glorious Efficacy to that purpose in its discovery and Revelation must needs be from that God with whom we have to doe and none else From whom else I pray should it be He that can give out such a Word ille mihi semper erit Deus Sect. 6. Now there are 3 generall heads of things that all and every one of mankind not naturally brutish are perplexed withall in reference to their dependance on God and Relation to him 1 How they may worship him as they ought 2 How they may be reconciled and at peace with him or have an Attonement for that guilt which naturally they are sensible of 3 VVhat is the nature of true Blessednesse and how they may attaine it or how they may come to the enjoyment of God Sect. 7. That all mankind is perplexed and entangled with and about these Considerations that all men ever were so without Exception more or lesse and continue so to be to this day that of themselves they miserably grope up and down in the dark and are never able to come to any satisfaction neither as to what is present nor as to what is to come I could manifest from the State Office and condition of conscience the indelible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and presumptions about them that are in the hearts of all by nature The whole History of all Religion which hath been in the World with the designe of All antient and present Philosophy with innumerable other uncontroleable Convictions which also God assisting I shall in

of the East and Westerne Jewes at the end of the Venetian Bibles which Bibles he chiefly used in the printing of his own And yet on the other hand men acquainted with the Ability and great deserving of Arias will be hardly perswaded that he was so blind and ignorant as to affirme the greatest part of the variety he spoke of consisted in the changing of Vowels and immediately to give instances wherein all he mentions consists in the change of Consonants only But what if all this should prove the ignorance and prejudice of Morinus First to his redoubled Assertion about the difference of the Keri and Ketib in the Consonants only wherein he speakes as though he were blessing the world with a new and strange discovery it is a thing knowne lippis Tonsoribus hath been so since the dayes of Elias Levita What then intended Arias Montanus to affirme the Contrary hic nigri succus loliginis haec est aerugo mera he speakes not at all of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but merely of the anomalous pointing of words in a various way from the Genius of the tongue as they are observed and reckoned up in the Massora of other Varieties he speakes afterward giving a particular account of the Keri Uketib which whether he esteemed Various lections nor no I know not Non si te superis aeques But all are ignorant who are not of the mind of an aspiring Jesuite Sect. 4. That the difference in the sense taking in the whole context is upon the matter very little or none at all at least each word both that in the line and that in the margin yeeld a sense agreeable to the Anology of faith Of all the Varieties that are found of this kind that of two words the same in sound but of most distinct significations seemes of the greatest importance Namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 or 15 times where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not is in the Text the margin notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him or his to be read But yet though these seeme Contrary one to the other yet where ever this falls out a sense agreable to the Analogie of faith ariseth fairely from either word As to give one or two instances Psal 100. verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us and not we our selves The Keri in the margin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his giving this sense he hath made us and his we are The verbe Substantive being included in the pronounce So Isa 63. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their afflictions or straights no straightnesse So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straightnesse or affliction was to him or he was straightened or afflicted In the first way God signifieth that when they were in their outward straights yet he was not straightned from their reliefe in the other that he had Compassion for them was afflicted with them which upon the matter is the same And the like may be shewed of the rest Sect. 5. I confesse I am not able fully to satisfy my selfe in the Originall and spring of all this Variety being not willing meerly to depend on the Testimony of the Jewes much lesse on the conjectures of late innovators To the uttermost length of my view to give a full account of this thing is a matter of no small difficulty Their Venerable Antiquity and unquestionable Reception by all Translatours gives them sanctuary from being cast downe from the place they hold by any mans bare Conjecture That which to me is of the greatest importance is that they appeare most of them to have been in the Bibles then when the Oracles of God were Committed to the Jews during which time we find them not blamed for adding or altering one word or Tittle Hence the Caldee Paraphrast often followes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which never was in the Line whatever some boastingly conjecture to the contrary and sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which seemes to me most probable is that they were Collected for the most part of them by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the Great Congregation Some indeed I find of late I hope not out of a designe to bring all things to a further Confusion about the Originall to question whether ever there were any such thing as the great congregation Morinus calls it a Judaicall figment Our Prolegomena question it Prol. 8. Sect. 22. But this is only to question whether Ezra Nehemiah Josua Zacharie Haggai the rest of the leaders of the people in their returne from the Captivity did set a Sanydrym according to the institution of God and labour to reforme the Church all the Corruptions that were crept either into the Word or worship of God I see not how this can reasonably be called into question if we had not to confirme it the Catholicke tradition of Jews and Christians Neither is it called the great Congregation from its number but eminency of persons Now on this supposition it may be granted that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the books of these men themselves Ezra and the rest were collected by the succeeding Churches Unlesse we shall suppose with Anisworth that the Word was so received from God as to make both necessary And if we know not the true Cause of its being so given we have nothing to blame but our owne ignorance this not being the Only Case wherein we have reason so to doe Our last Translation generally rendreth the word in the Margent noteing also the Word in the line where there is any Considerable difference Those who have leisure for such a worke may observe what choyce is used in this Case by old and Moderne Translatours And if they had not believed them to have had an Authoritative originall beyond the impeachment of any man in these dayes they could not fairly and honestly have used both line and margin as they have done Sect. 6. What sayes now our Prolegomena with the Appendix unto these things 1. We have them in the Appendix represented unto us in their own order according as they are found in the bookes of the Scriptures And then over againe in the order and under the heads that they are drawne and driven unto by Capellus A taske that learned man tooke upon himselfe that he might in the performance of it give some Countenance to his Opinion that they are for the most part Criticall Emendations of the Text made by some late Massorites that came no man knowes whence that lived no man knowes where nor when Thus whereas these Keri Uketib have the only face and appearance upon the matter of Various lections upon the old Testament for the Jewes Collections of the Various Readings of Ben Asher and Ben Nepthali of the Orientall and Occidentall Jewes are of no Value nor ever had place in their Bible and may be rejected the unwary Viewer

and how often it goes off from the Rule of faith But Rule in in its selfe and upon its own account coming short of all the necessary Qualifications layd downe before it is none Should I now goe to gather instances of the failings of this Translation open and grosse and so proceed with the rest I think I might make a Volume neare as bigge as that of various lections now afforded us but I have another manner of account to give of my houres then so to spend them Sect. 9. Whether the Syriack Translation be any fitter for this use any one who shall be pleased to consider weigh it will easily discover It seemes indeed to have been made out of the Originall at least for some part of it or that the Translation of the 70 hath been in many things changed since this was made which I rather suppose But when where or by whom it doth not appeare nor doth it in many things seeme to have any respect at all unto the Hebrew the note at the close of the Prophets I suppose to proceed rather from the Scribe of that Individuall Copy than the Translatour but that the Reader may see what hands it hath passed through he may take it as it s rendered by the learned Authour of the Annotations on that Translation Explicit Malachias sive libri 12 Prophetarum quorum oratio perpetuò nobis adsit Amen precibúsque ipsorum precibúsque omnium sanctorum sodalium ipsorum praesertìm virginis quae Deum peperit omnium Sanctorum matris quae pro genere Adami intercedit propitius sit Deus Lectori Scriptori Peccatori omnibus sive verbo sive opere ipsis participantibus but this good Conclusion is as I suppose from the Scribe the usuall negligence of whom in his worke is frequently Taxed in the collection of various readings as pag. 8. alibi Now though I confesse this Translation to be very usefull in many things and to follow the Originall for the most part yet being made as yet I know neither when nor by whom in sundry places evidently following another Corrupt Translation having passed through the hands of men ignorant and suspitious against whose frauds and folly by the reason of the paucity of Copies we have no reliefe I question whether it may be esteemed of any great use of importance as to the End enquired after Sect. 10. Of the Samaritan Pentateuch both Originall and Translation we shall not need to adde much What the people from whom it hath its denomination were is knowne nor have the Enquiries of Scaliger or Morinus added any thing to what is vulgarly knowne of them from the Scripture Josephus In a word an Idolatrous Superstitious wicked people they were before they were subdued by Hyrcanus afterwards they continued in the Seperation from the true Church of God upon the Testimony of our Saviour had not Salvation among them When they received their Pentateuch is uncertaine Uncertaine also how long they kept it that they corrupted it whilest they had it is notuncertaine They are charged to have done so by the Jewes in the Talmud and the instance they give abides to this day Deut. 11. 30. They have added Sichem to the Text to give Countenance to their abominations And openly in Deut. 27. 4 where God gives a command that an Altar should be set up on mount Ebal they have wickedly and nefariously corrupted the Text and put in Gerizim Now one such voluntary corruption made on set purpose to countenance a sinne and false worship is enough to lay low the Authority of any Copy whatever The Copy here printed was brought out of the East from Damascus not long since It appeares to have been 230 yeares old saith Morinus in the account of it Opusc Samar praefat ad Translat Samarat As I sayd before that any Samaritans doe as yet remaine is uncertaine some few Jews there are that walke in that way here and there a few families Now that this Pentateuch which was never as such committed to the Church of God that had its rise no man knowes by whom and that hath been preserved no man knowes how knowne by few used by none of the ancient Christians that hath been voluntarily corrupted by men of corrupt minds to countenance them in their folly should be of any Authority upon its own single account to any end or purpose especially to vye with the Hebrew Text men that have not some designe that they publickly owne not will scarce contend The places instanced in by Morinus to prove its integrity above the Hebrew Copy as to the solution of difficulties by it in Gen 11. 29 31. Exod. 12. 40 doe evedently prove it corrupt any man that will consider them will find the alterations purposely made to avoid the difficulties in those places which is one common evidence of Corruption in Gen. 11. 31 60 yeeres are cut off from the life of Tera to make the Chronologie agree and that of Exod. 12. the dwelling of the Children of Israel and their Fathers when they dwelt in the land of Canaan and in the land of Aegypt was 430 yeares is a plaine Comment or Exposition on the Text nor would Hierome who had this Copy make any use of it in these difficulties Might I goe over the rest of Morinus his instances whereby he seekes to credit his Samaritan Copy which we have in these Biblia Polyglotta I could manifest that there is scarce one of them but yeelds a cleare Argument of Corruption in it upon some of the best grounds that we have to judge of the sincerity or corruption of any Copy and if this Pentateuch had been of any credit of old it would not have been omitted yea as it seemes utterly rejected as a thing of nought by Origen in his diligent collection of the Originall and Versions But we are in a way and businesse wherin all things are carried to and fro by conjectures and it were no hard taske to manifest the utter uncertainty of what is fixed on as the Originall of this Pentateuch by the Authour of the Prolegomena or to reinforce those conjectures which he opposeth but that is not my present work nor do I know that ever it will be so But I must for the present say That I could have been glad that he had refrained the close of his discourse Sect. 2 wherein from the occasionall mention of the Samaritan liturgie and the pretended antiquity of it he falls not without some bitternesse of spirit on those who have laid aside the English service book It were not in the Judgment of some imprudently done to reserve a triumph over the Sectaries to some more considerable Victory then any is to be hoped from the Example of the Samaritans Were they all Barbars and Porters and Alehousekeepers yet they might easily discerne that the example and president of a wicked people forsaken of God and forsaking of him to whom the promise of