for the same seeing as he says that Ezra the Scribe made it Capellus infers hence That some as this R. Moses c had no such esteem for the Points and did not think they were made by Ezra Resp. First But Aben Ezra is not of that mind which is the thing that is to be proved For he reproveth it in them and they want Witnesses who seek after those who are convicted of Errour therein But they might charge the Punctator with Errour and yet allow Ezra to be the Author of it by supposing as Capellus himself doth that there might be crept into the Text some Mistakes through the length of Time and humane Frailty of the Scribes who wrote the Bible from the Copies that were before them And 't is more likely that both Aben Ezra and these Persons owned Ezra to be the Author of the Points because he makes that an Argument seeing Ezra made it or if Ezra made it either way shew it was a received Principle among them and therefore goes not to prove it but improves it and infers from it as a thing acknowledged especially by those he reproves Secondly That Aben Ezra doth call the Punctator Hamaphsik and meaneth Ezra thereby appears by what he saith elsewhere as on Esther 9.27 on the words Keketabam according to their writing The sence is saith he that the Volume of Esther should be read even just as it was written without Points and that because Ezra the Scribe Hiphsick Hapesukim distinguished the Verses which was not done till many years after the writing of this Volume Therefore our Wise Man of happy memory commanded That he that reads this Volume of Esther should not stop at the end of a Verse Hence Buxtorf observes He saw the Volume of Esther Unpointed Now in this place he expressly nameth Ezra the Hammappesik or Pauser or Punctator And in other places it is manifest that the Hammappesik or maker of the Verses was also the Maker of the Points Vowels and Accents Which Elias himself alloweth saying Vpeerush hammappesik mi shesam happesikat hattaamim And the meaning of Hammappesick the Pauser the Punctator is he that placeth the Pausing of the Accents Hence Dr. Walton and Capellus are mistaken who suppose that by Hammappesik no more is intended than he that placed the two thick Strokes or divided the Text into Verses which they allow to be much more ancient than the Points Vowels and Accents For as Buxtorf observeth Aben Ezra in Tsakooth doth often use the Verb Hiphsik not only to distinguish the Verses by two Points or Strokes but also to distinguish Verses by distinguishing Accents and Pauses As he saith in Tsakooth before the words last alledged Behold saith he we see that he viz. Hammappesik the Punctator hath put the Accent in the word Sham Gen. 21.33 which joyneth that with the word Shem that followeth But in Exod. 34.5 there Hiphsiko he makes a Stop that is makes an Athnak which distinguisheth it from the following words So that Hammappesick the Accentator or Punctator is the same with Baal Hattaamim the Author of the Accents or Punctation For so Aben Ezra in his Commentary on this very place Exod. 34.5 calls him there Baal Hattaamim the Author of the Accents who is here called Hammappesik the Punctator Capellus in Vind. lib. 1. cap. 1. § 5. would suppose Hammaphsik to be he that placed the Sounds and Force but not the Shape Resp. But First Elias plainly affirms that it is he that placed the Shapes And so doth Capellus himself allow the same elsewhere viz. in his Arcanum lib. 1. cap. 2. § 5. he saith there That none may think because 't is said Maphsick in the Singular Number the Punctator therefore it was Ezra and not the Masorites that Pointed the Text Saith he Aben Ezra doth elsewhere call them Maphsikim the Punctators in the Plural in his Book Mozenaim So that here he allows Maphsik to be the Placer of the Shapes where he can but bring it to the Masorites of Tiberias Capellus objects 'T is not said Which was not done till many years after the writing of Esther but Which was done not many years after the writing of Esther Resp. First It matters not which way it be read as to the Point in debate 't is brought to prove that Ezra was the Maphsik the Punctator which it proveth plainly whether way it be read long after or not long after Ezra Pointed it after both sences allow Capellus would fain suppose the Sound might be kept by Tradition or Custom to the time of the Masorites But this we have elsewhere showed cannot be Secondly The rest of the places alledged by Elias and his Followers out of Aben Ezra for the Novelty of the Points are principally Two that commend the Skill and Fidelity of the Masorites of Tiberias about the Punctation We shall therefore First Consider the scope of the places themselves to find thereby whether he esteemed the Masorites to be the Inventors or Reformers and Correctors of the Punctation And Secondly We shall consider what Aben Ezra and Others say in Commendation of the Masorites of Tiberias wherein lyes all the strength of the Evidence that Elias or his Followers do bring for the precise Time Place and Persons when where and by whom it is supposed the Points were first invented And we shall here consider whether what is spoken in Commendation of them do belong to them as Inventors or as Restorers or Correctors of the Punctation Thirdly We shall shew that Aben Ezra doth not ascribe the Invention of the Points to the Masorites because he oft differs from them and opposeth them but always follows the Punctuation and enjoyns all others so to do First then We are to consider the places themselves and the scope and true meaning of them The First is this taken out of Aben Ezra's Book Tsakooth pag. 138. col 2. alledged by Elias Masoret Hammasoret Prefat 3. pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. The words are these And this is the Custom of the wise Men of Tiberias and they are the Foundation for from them were the Men of the Masora and we have from them received all the Punctation The place more at large is this The Punctators saith Aben Ezra immediately before the words alledged are used to point Sheva under Tau in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asit which is the Second Person Feminine that it might not be confounded with the Masculine Then he brings an Objection saying If any one objects What need was there to place Sheva there for seeing that Kamets was not under the letter Tau was it not easily understood that there was to be a quiescent Sheva because it was the last letter of the word for the last letter of every word that is without its own proper moveable Vowel Sheva belongs to them whether it be expressed or not Now the Answer to this Objection contains the words of the Quotation viz. And thus the Wise Men
also Deut. 2.16 with a Comma the sence not making a Period About which matter he saith It is to be admired that the Orderer of the Parasha's should here divide into two Verses that which by the sence seems to be but one And the like is done Deut. 2.16 We know not why 't is done but saith he 't is like Baal Hahapesakoth the Punctator did know the reason why he did so for his Knowledge is larger than ours Hence he adviseth us to follow the Punctator always as in his Book Mosenaim fol. 19. b. And before I expound unto thee all these things already mentioned saith he I must admonish thee that thou dost go after Baal Hataamim the Punctator And whatsoever Exposition is not according to the Exposition of the Accents do not agree to it nor hearken to it and do not mind the words concerning the Ten Verses that one of the Geonim saith do belong to the Verses following or coming after them for they are all right and they are distinguished or divided according as the sence requireth And pag. 198. col 1. disputing against some he saith And moreover if their words were true Lo hajah baal hateamim maphsik beathnak besoph bemillath vejiphol c. the Baal Hateamim who is Hammappesik the Punctator would not have made the Stop or Pause with Athnak in the end in the word Vejiphol Gen. 45.14 So pag. 200. b. He knoweth saith he the Secret of Baal Hateamim the Punctator And elsewhere saith Buxtorf He saith 't is of great moment to keep the way of the Accents Now that Aben Ezra doth not suppose the Punctator or Punctators to be the Masorites appears by this That he treats the Masorites quite otherwise than he hath done the Punctator For First When he speaks of the Masorites he doth not call them Baal hateamim and hammappesik the Punctator but he calls them The Wise Men of the Masora The Men of the Masora and Baal Hammasoret the Author of the Masora And Secondly He often differeth from and opposeth the Masorites but he never opposeth the Punctator And that he oft differs from the Masorites appears by these Instances In Tsakooth 149. concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehinnehhu Jer. 18.3 which the Keri reads divided into two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehinneh hu with Aleph added As he reckons by the Masorites he saith This is not defective of Aleph that is wanting Aleph for it is one word though the Men of the Masora do say it is defective And fol. 150. col 2. Ve taam anishee hammasoret eno taam And the Reason of the Men of the Masora is no Reason So fol. 190. he saith concerning a Masoretick Observation Ein tserik There is not need of it And so of others fol. 191.2 fol 192.1 and elsewhere In the end of the Preface prefixed to the great Bibles thus he saith speaking of the Fifth way of Expounding Scripture which he followeth himself And I will not saith he mention the Reasons of the Men of the Masora why this word is written full and why the other word is written defective for all their Reasons are allegorical their Reasons are only good for Children for sometimes the Writer writeth a word full which he doth to make it plain and sometimes he writeth a word more obscurely by the defect of a letter for brevity sake c. but their Reasons are only good for Children So that we see he contemneth and oft opposeth the Masorites but we shewed before he honoureth and always followeth the Punctator Therefore we conclude that Aben Ezra doth not suppose the Masorites to be the Punctator or Authors of the Punctation Capellus Vind. lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 10. objecteth There might be two sorts of Masorites First the Tiberian Punctators and long after them those that numbred the Letters and counted the Keri Uketib Resp. 1. Neither Aben Ezra nor any other Iew make any such distinction 2. A posse ad esse non valet consequentia 3. 'T would injure the former Masorites for he opposeth and despiseth the Masorites in General and if the Punctators whom he reverenceth so much were Masorites also he would no doubt have excepted them particularly 4. Capellus hath hereby lost his Cause by supposing the Authors of the Punctation or Shapes of the Points were long before those that numbred the Letters seeing the Talmuds made before A. D. 500. do call those that numbred the Letters the Ancients as being long before their time whereas Capellus his Opinion is That the Authors of the Points were not till after the Talmuds Capellus Vind. cap. 1. sect 12. saith If the Masorites restored and corrected the Punctation our Faith is humane if built thereon as much as if they invented it Resp. Not so For no more is required to preserve the Text uncorrupt from Age to Age than humane Care and Industry under the conduct of Divine Providence but the giving forth of the Scripture and the ascertaining the Sence of Scripture requires Divine Assistance and Evidence of Divine Authority Capellus objects sect 13. ibid. Vind. The Masorites had few Pointed Copies to correct by or many If few how came they to differ And if many they were either about great Matters or small If about great Matters then we stand on Humane Authority if about small then 't was not worth their labour Resp. 1. Themselves say nothing can be certainly spoken of those Times by reason of the darkness of the History thereof and therefore they should not press us in this Point 2. How many Pointed Copies were then we matter not but that there were very great and many differences in the Copies we deny the Providence of God watching over his Word to preserve it to the end of Time The Superstitious care of the Jews and the Religious Care of the Christians would not consist with it but some small difference might be suffered to quicken the diligence of those whose duty and concern it was to preserve it which might be well worth their time to Correct and justly deserve the Praise of Posterity for the same Capellus objecteth They must destroy all other Copies besides that which they corrected and this was impossible to be done Resp. No more need for this than for to burn Hereticks and destroy all that differ from us No Truth is Light the shining whereof dispelleth Darkness and so is their Copy universally embraced as the Standard Capellus Vind. cap. 1. sect 17. saith How know we that the Masorites did correct the Copies seeing there is no History of it And if they did correct them 2. It might be fallacious and stuffed with many things in favour of their own Nation 3. Who can believe that these Men chose the best and most genuine sence always and never mistook either by Errour Negligence or Design 4. Who can believe that our present Copies are the same as those which the Masorites corrected Resp. They most need to Answer these Questions
there are some Places whereof I could never come to an end for reasons which I shall mark hereafter I do not believe that after this one can imagine that these Rhimes were found by chance in the Poesies of the ancient Hebrews It would be impossible for them not to take Notice thereof and if they did not perceive it why did they rhime every where if it was not for the sake of their Poesie We shall give an Example of it at the end of this Essay 2. Indeed it is remarked in several places that the same words are repeated without necessity to Rhime with themselves as hatelouhou in Psal. 150. and a great Number which cannot be related here 3. Besides this there are many words which rhime together without having a particular connexion with the sense So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abad he is perished rhimes in divers places with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad alwayes This sheweth clearly that it is not chance nor the necessity of expression which have placed these words near one another but the design of making them to rhime otherwise they would not be found to rhime so often together 4. There is scarcely any place seen where a rhime hath not produced such another and often times two or three the Phrase not necessarily requiring them as the Rhime MO in Psal. 2. whereof I shall put here seven Verses in Latin Characters tho' they are but three in the Psalm Eth mosrothe MO Venaschliche mimmennou abothe MO Ioscheb baschamajim jisch AK Adonei jila AG La MO Az jedabber ele MO Bappho oubacharono jebahale MO. I believe it cannot be doubted that the Author of this Psalm hath affected these Rhimes in MO for the third was in no wise necessary it sufficed to say jilAG vajedabber eleMO and if it was not even in that the Poesie consisted these Rhimes must have been shunned which without this would extreamly offend the Ears in making use of the suffix HEM Besides this we shall find plain Examples of this Truth in Psal. 118. 4. There are places where no Rhime is in the Hebrew Text and where also the sence is very difficult and the order of the words contrary to the genius of the Hebrew Tongue But in putting these words again in their Natural Order according to the construction where they ought to be the sence of them becomes not only fine and clear but also the Rhime very good whence we have reason to conclude that these words had been transposed and that since the rhime agrees with the sense it is an Argument that it was sought after Here is word for word the sense of the 5 th and 6 th Verses of Psal. 9. according to the Order they are in this day Thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast blotted out THEIR Names for ever O thou Enemy desolations are come so a perpetual end and thou hast demolished the Cities their memory is perished with them they a Feminine or they a Masculine All the World may see the difficulty of this Construction but those who understand Hebrew may yet much better be assured thereof in reading the Original Neither can the Rhime be found in this place but in making some slight Changes which may be supported by other paralel Passages and in re-establishing the Rhime these words form a sense clear and easie and are found in a regular construction Thou hast destroyed the wicked thou hast blotted out their Name for ever the Enemy is perished the Streets and the Cities are ruined for ever thou hast destroyed them and their memory In these words is a clear sense which is but darkly represented in the preceding ones Indeed it hath been constantly remarked that in the most obscure places it is the hardest to find the Rhime which makes us reasonably to believe that the obscurity comes from some transposition or from some word forgotten or a letter omitted without which the Rhime cannot be found On the contrary the sense is easie almost every where where the Rhimes are easily found If the brevity which I am to keep here admitted me I could give a sufficient Number of Examples but we shall only bring one at the beginning of the 16 th Psalm which the Version of Geneva hath rendered thus in supplying the words which are in Roman Characters Keep me O mighty God for I have trusted in thee O my Soul thou hast said to God thou art the Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints who are on the Earth and to the excellent in whom I take all my delight The sorrows of those who run after another God shall be multiplyed c. The sense is obscure enough and the words are very difficult in spite of the Supplements which Interpreters have made herein but the difficulty is yet more sensible in the Hebrew by reason of the Punctuation of some words and of some letters which must be ncessarily changed or added And this Passage hath given a very great labour to Interpreters tho'we have seen none of them who hath happily gone through it It is thought it should be translated thus after having made the necessary changes in it Keep me O God for I have hoped in thee I have said to God thou art the Lord my whole trust is in thee Men have gone in multitudes to the Effeminate Cynaedi who are in thy Countrey great Persons put all their delight in them they have eagerly multiplyed their Idols with another God c. We shall not undertake to give an account of this Version for fear of being too long it is enough for the present that in the supposition that this Version is just People do know that the Rhime is excellent and that it is not otherwise to be found therein 5. Those who have some knowledge in the Criticks of the Old Testament know that in divers places there are found words in the Version of the LXX which are not in the Hebrew There are some in the Psalms as well as in the other Books but what is remarkable is that in some of these places the Hebrew Text transmitteth not necessary Rhimes and that if the words be added which are in the Greek Version the Rhime is found there By this we see there these words had been omitted by the Copyers in the Hebrew and that they ought to be put there again So in Psal. 1.4 the LXX have twice put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not so whereas this Phrase is but once in our present Originals But it hath been discovered by means of the Rhime that it ought to be twice there Here is yet another more remarkable place which in Psal. 7.12 where there is according to the Hebrew God is a just Iudge and a God who is angry every day There can be no Rhime found in this place and this description of Divine Justice is not in the ordinary Terms of Sacred Authors who describe God not only extreamly patient but also
Rabbins represent the Musick of the Temple in the same manner upon which Lightfoot may be consulted in his Book of the Service of the Temple ch 7. sect 2. they say that Voices were added to these Instruments and mark the Psalms which were sung each day of the Week and on the principal Festivals But we cannot much confide in what they say as several Learned Men have shewn All that we would conclude from hence is that though it should be said that the Musick of the Hebrews was very confused to judge of it by ours nothing would be said but what may be maintained by the very Authority of the Jews 3. Thus tho' it were agreed that the singing of the Hebrew Verses such as they are conceived would not be very pleasing to our Ears if it were possible to revive their Musick there would be nothing which wou'd appear surprizing in it But suppose their Musick was better than it appears by the Descriptions which we have of it who should have hindered them to give Tunes to their irregular Verses like unto those which we give to ours It will be granted undoubtedly that their Musick had been pretty pleasing if it had equalled the Musick of our Opera's which are all composed of irregular Verses Tho' the Musick of the Greeks hath been so much boasted of and the Tunes of their Lyrick Poesie which is almost all composed of Verses or equal Couplets or of Strophes or of regulated Antistrophes a Cadence which alwayes returneth and a Tune which we hear twenty times successively does not please as much as a varied Cadence and a change of Verses almost perpetual such as ought to be in irregular Verses 4. An excellent Musician in reading an Opera whose Musick he should not have seen could perhaps sometimes by the Matter and Cadence of the Verses find out very near what sort of Tune should be given in looking for that which would be most proper unto them It might also be very well that in some Composures the Cadence of the Hebrew Verses which is pretty sensible by reason of their smallness and unequality could make one guess at the Tune they had or at least draw near it in some manner So if we read Psal. 10â— as it ought so that its Cadence may be rendered sensible there are few Persons who have their Ear good who judge not that the words of this Psalm are extreamly proper for that which is called a Tune of Fanfare i. e. the sound of Trumpets hence arose the Thought of Translating the Hebrew Verses into irregular French Verses which have just the same Number of Syllables and to put thereto a Tune of this Nature Not that it is believed it had with the Hebrews that same Tune which will be found here but we may conjecture with a great likelihood that it had a like one because the Hebrew words are very proper for a Tune of Fanfare and could hardly suffer another If the Instruments were well known which the Hebrews used there might perhaps be said something more exact upon their Musick but as we have but a very small knowledge in 't we are obliged to hold to these general Idea's which are sufficient for us on this occasion where we have no other design but to shew that they would easily sing irregular Verses such as are those which we have attributed to them VI. There remains no more but some only difficulties which may be objected upon the manner whereby this Poesie was discovered It may at first be said that it seems strange that so many ancient and modern learned Persons who have sought with Care the Secrecy of the Hebrew Poesie could not think of a thing so easie as Rhimes But this is but a difficulty of Metaphysick which proves nothing but that these Learned Men did bring hereupon the attention which they ought It hath been observ'd several times that by too much seeking for a Mystery in a thing easie of it self hath rendered it difficult It would suffice thus to answer this difficulty and to oppose thereto the thing it self in producing the whole Book of Psalms disposed into Rhimed Verses as it may be easily done and as perhaps it may be done some time or other But now this difficulty may be resolved by the following Remarks 1. It is not absolutely true that all the Learned have not at all perceived the Rhimes of the Hebrew Poesie Buxtorf hath remarked something thereof as it may be seen in the beginning of his Prosodie but he thought that chance had formed them because he hath remarked but some and where the Verses are equal There hath been besides an Author cited named Theodorus Herbert de Poetica Hebraica who hath remarked more of them but we have not seen his Book and it is judged by the Citation which we read on 't that he hath not drawn from these Rhimes the consequence this Essay hath done Augustin Steuchus of Engubio in his Preface upon the Psalms had remarked before him in terms much more express That the Poesie of the Hebrews is not the same as that of the Grecians and Latins as the Italian Poesie is not the same with the Latin The Latins do observe after the imitation of the Greeks the quantity of the Syllables the Hebrews do not so but take heed only of their Number and Cadence We see not nevertheless that Steuchus hath undertaken to reduce Poetical Books of the Hebrews into rhimed Verses no more than Lewis Cappel who hath not disapproved of the Thought of this learned Man Some have also believed that St. Ierom had observed Rhimes in the Hebrew Poesies because he hath said in his Preface upon Iob Interdum quoque Rythmus ipse dulcis tinnulus fertur numeris pedum solutis Buxtorf hath thought that Rythmus signified what we now call Rhime but he might learn of all those who have treated of Prosodie that this word doth not only signifie Cadence Ioseph Scaliger also made use of this same word in this Sence in the place which hath been cited of him Quantum sententia postulat rythmus nunc longior nunc brevior est He means that the Verses are more or less long and consequently that the Cadence hath more or less extent according as the sence demands more or less words Yet Mr. Ferrand censures him in his Preface upon the Psalms as if he had understood Rhimes thereby Scaliger was too good a Grecian to commit such a Fault as that Mr. Ferrand then was mistaken in the sence he gave to the words of Scaliger as he is also mistaken in what he adds after Buxtorf that if there are Rhimes in the Poesies of the Hebrews it is but by chance What hath been said sheweth sufficiently the contrary and this Remark is made but upon the occasion of the Term Rythmus whereof we thought we should say a word fearing that some being mistaken in the sence which is given it in the modern Languages should without reason think
and 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therognem Thou shalt break them with a Rod of Iron for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt feed them Thirgnem or thou shalt govern them with a Scepter c. The Septuagint having read it in this last manner since they have translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt feed them He also brings Hosea 13.14 and Amos 9. and 13. The sense of this last passage is extreamly different according to their manner of reading and pointing who followed the Massorites from the sense that the Septuagint gives it According to the first it must be translated So that they shall possess the rest of Idumea and according to the last which St. Paul hath followed Act. 15.16 So that the Rest of men shall seek the Lord. Our Author afterwards saith that the pointing at this day is not always conformable to the Analogy of the Hebrew Tongue which appears by many Anomalies of which the Massore says nothing and by divers proper Names which are better written in the old Translations The Antient Versions furnish us likewise with divers significations of some words which without that would be perfectly unknown to us We are extreamly confirmed in this thought when the same words in our neighbouring Tongue have all these significations as in the Syriack Arabick and Ethiopick Languages c. which have much affinity with that of the Hebrews But he marks nevertheless that we must not too much confide in this manner of finding out the signification of some Hebrew words by the means of the neighbouring Tongues because that divers accidents happen too long to enumerate as when a word changes its signification with another People by losing its Ancient sound and acquiring something new and unknown from the Language whence it was first taken For example the English word to Try is without doubt the same as the French Trier nevertheless it has a signification which hath no agreement with that of the French word to make a Tryal or a Proof of So to Crack which comes from Craquer signifies in English to Boast To Lett in English signifies both to Permit and to Hinder but the Dutch word Letten or as they now speak Beletten which is the same signifies to Hinder So we cannot altogether trust to the Conjectures of some Learned men upon the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsagnir which is found Micah 5.2 They believe there that the Hebrew signifies Great and Little at the same time because it hath two significations in the Arabick It 's true that they have founded it upon this that the Seventy have translated Little in this place of Micah and St. Matthew which is not Little Mr. Bright comes afterwards to the use that may be made of the writings of the Rabbies and 't is in this that Lightfoot hath excelled As first from the knowledge of the customs and opinions of the Jews which altho sometimes very extravagant we may notwithstanding afford us some benefit Secondly It may serve to the confirmation of the History of Jesus Christ for it appears by that that there was one Jesus which had Disciples who lived in such a time and such a place who did and said divers things That there was such places such opinions such customs such ceremonies It 's found in the writings of the most ancient Jews the same stile and same manner of speaking are seen in the Evangelists and very often the same thoughts the same Parables and the same Proverbs Our Author brings from thence some examples that have never been observed before There is to be found in the Thalmud of Babylon an ancient Tradition of the Jews It saith that in the time of the Messia there shall be an extream Impudence c. That the Father shall be ill treated by his Son and the Daughter should rise up against her Mother the Daughter-in-law against her Mother-in-law and a mans Enemies shall be those of his own House c. By that we see that our Lord according to this ancient Doctrine of the Jews made it known that he was the Messia when he said That he was come to separate betwixt the Son and the Father the Daughter and the Mother and the Daughter-in-law and the Mother-in-law and that a mans Enemies should be those of his own House Mr. Bright after that marks the places of the Thalmud where there is mention made of Jesus Christ. Thirdly The reading of the Rabbies is useful to convince the Jews at this day that they ought to understand Him to be the Messia from many passages of the Old Testament Which they endeavour to interpret otherwise tho their Fathers understood it as we do From thence he brings a great many examples It is said in an ancient Iewish Book which is called Pelicta that God had a Dialogue with the Messia in these Terms God began to make a Covenant with the Messiah speaking thus to him Those which have sinned are unknown to thee and will impose upon thee a Yoak of Iron by which they will render thee like to a Heifer almost blind with excess of labour and at last they shall destroy thee because of their iniquity thy Tongue shall cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth And wilt thou suffer this The Messia It may be that these griefs and afflictions shall endure but for a time God I am fully resolved that thou shalt suffer it a whole week of years but if thou consent not thereto I shall not impose these sufferings upon thee The Messia I willingly submit my self on condition that one Israelite may not perish but that they may all be saved those that live and dye in my Time those that are hidden under the Earth and which are dead since Adam even the Children which died before they were born or that are come into the World afore their time in a word all that have been created until now and which shall be hence forth Altho there is much extravagance here we it may nevertheless discover through all these fictions that the ancient Jews have not always promised themselves a Triumphant Messia and such as should peaceably enjoy the advantages which the Jews of our times attribute to him It is plain 't was believed that the Sufferings of the Messia should be a means to expiate the sins of Israel 'T is this which the same Author assures us of in terms very clear which Mr. Bright relates Fourthly Much use may be drawn from the reading of the Rabbies because therein are found opinions customs and manners of speaking which were used amongst the Jews in the time of our Lord as he shews by some examples never before produced thus Lightfoot hath composed all the second Volume of his works upon this Subject Mr. Bright believes that St. Paul had a respect to an opinion of the Jews when he obliged the Women to have their heads covered in Devotion because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11. and 20. and he cites thereupon
exactly ordered and helps to resolve a thousand great difficulties the submission Christians owe unto Councils and upon the infallibility that M. Meaux maintains that Protestants attribute to Councils M. Nicole goes farther for he affirms that they attribute the gift of infallibility to each faithful person to refute him he is given to understand by several examples that it is not necessary to think ones self infallible to be convinced of any Opinion and because the knot of the difficulty lies in this that they which are deceived are no less convinced than the Orthodox the Author acknowledges that the Characters cannot be precisely shewn which distinguish the false and true perswasions and at the same time says that these differences are real and make themselves apparent It is good faith that can convince the publick that Mr. Iurieu is none of those Controvertists whereof M. Simon gives us such ugly Ideas I would say of those that wou'd rather dye than acknowledge that they cannot clear precisely this or that difficulty He gives us at the same time many instructions upon the manner how hearing and reading the Word of God conducts infallibly into the Truth those in whom the Holy Ghost works by an efficacious Grace but lest people may confound the infallibility that is produced by this Grace with the privileged infallibility which was belonging to the Apostles he teaches us the marks whereby to distinguish them after which he fully answers two objections that were proposed to make the Protestant Church seem to become to the highest pitch of impertinence For it was objected that a private Person how ignorant soever he could be should be assured according to their principles that he can understand the true sense of Scripture better than all the Church besides and that he owes no submission to Church or Council unless he sees by his own proper light that their decision is good all these difficulties are solidly answered and made to disappear The reader sees that hitherto M. Iurieu has met with several difficulties in his way but they are but trifles to what he must encounter now for he is going to answer objections that relate to the way of examen and that are without any dispute the main strength of M. Nicole He answers them first indirectly and argues almost thus We must go to the knowledge of Scripture either by Authority or by way of examen but it is impossible that Authority should conduct us to it therefore we must make use of the way of examen He proves the minor in shewing that upon Earth there is no infallible and speaking Authority and tho' there were it would be impossible to have recourse to it because it cannot be known by any certain sign of necessary truth It is the bravest Field in the World wherein the Enemy is led without having any place to retreat to so that if there were able and disinterested Judges as the Platonists and Aristoteleans were to observe the strokes given there are no People in the World they would despise so much as the Christians whereof they would see the greatest part brag of a Doctrine that cannot keep the Field one Moment in sight of the Enemy and which nevertheless subdues every day some of the other party upon this may be well said the absurdity which Sandaicat published concerning the Battle of Cerisoles les Spagnales victoriosos serinder however it be let us mark in a few words what the Author does here He shews that if Faith did not enter the Soul but by the way of Authority M. Nicole would have it the Iewish Church should never have had any good assurance of the Will of God as well because there was not in a long time any Prophet or other infallible Tribunal that declared it as that the Authority of the Prophets themselves might have been suspected to be false that amidst the most famous Miracles because there was none that could infallibly assure them that these Miracles came from God or from the Devil These dreadful difficulties are pushed to the time of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles and it 's shewn that according to the Roman Church the Iews would have had no reason to be converted to it The same thing is shewn in respect of following ages in a word it is maintained against M. Nicole that his principle is the great road to Pyrrhonisme and Atheism because for to trust well the way of Authority we must know it well but very few could be able to come to the requisite assurance by the way of examen upon this subject and to the end that the difficulty should come to be more inexplicable the Author has invincibly refuted all that M. Nicole brought to prove that the Authority of the Church makes it self easily known so that here is the way of Authority quite shut up by what way then will people enter into the Faith must it be by examen if that be the way M. Iurieu must take away the Obstacles that M. Nicole has put in it and he must answer directly for to answer by retortions as was observ'd by a Modern Author is to furnish Deists with the best Arms that they ever yet made use of and is to compleat what M. Nicole has begun for the dullest amongst them would say after he had seen Mr. Nicoles book and what we have mentioned of Mr. Iurieu that seeing God has not made Man capable of choosing without rashness the only Religion that is Good it is evident that he has Revealed us nothing of it but has left it to our Education and Natural light therefore of necessity to disarm these Libertines he must answer directly to what Mr. Nicole says and let us see how he will behave himself He accuses his adversaries argument against the way of examen of two great faults one that it supposeth no help from the Holy Ghost to them who meditate upon Scripture the other that he supposes a Cartesian principle that would entirely ruine all Religions if it were applyed to Moral knowledge this principle is that we must believe nothing but what we understand clearly distinctly and to be lawfully assured that we have attained this evidence we must first have examined a thing all manner of ways and must have known that it could not have been other ways Our Author says that this condition being impossible in regard of most People and yet all men being obliged to be firmly satisfied of their Religion it follows that Religion is not subject to these preliminary conditions which Des Cartes only requires for the objects of speculation The Remonstrants believe they can draw great Advantages from M. Nicoles objections because they believe that for to answer him the points of Faith must be reduced to a very little number of Articles clearly contained in the Word of God but the Author says that this answer would cure no evil because to be assured to that degree of certainty which is required by
Athens but every three Years This Jesuite maintains against him that they were celebrated every year But when he afterwards proveth by a very obscure passage of Titus Livius that they were celebrated every first Year of each Olympiad he seems to give himself a needless trouble seeing that if he hath proved well that they were celebrated every year it followeth without any difficulty that they were celebrated the first Year of all the Olympiads It may nevertheless be said for his Justification that he makes use of the passage of Titus Livius but to shew the impossibility of the Hypothesis of Scaliger He corrects in this same place a passage of Plutarch which seems to say That the Mysteries were celebrated in the Market place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Casaubonus who perceived the fault thought he was bound to correct it in reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 't is not for that we must read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit to Agra which was a place near the River Ilissus where there was a Temple of Ceres and whence Diana had apparently taken her name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In fine her Remarks that most Authors have unseasonably confounded the Mysteries with the Thesmophoria which were celebrated in the Honour of Ceres He relates several Differences betwixt these two Ceremonies One of the things upon which he hath enlarged so much is the Bridge that Xerxes built to pass from Asia into Europe Herodotus hath given us the Description thereof Father Petau expounds it and corrects in it a great many faults We should be too tedious if we should descend into a more particular Relation Let us be content with this Remark upon a passage of Cassiodorus L. 9. Ep. 5. Where it 's ordered to keep no more Corn than would be necessary to maintain each Family Sive in gradu sive in aliis locis condita potuerint invenire These words have much tormented the Interpreters Father Petau saith that by in gradu an Isle of the Adriatick Sea must be understood situate towards the place where Venice hath been built and not the Bread which was distributed upon the Stairs at Constantinople Let us now say somewhat of the Work of Father Hardouin He has plac'd the Orations of Themistius in the order they ought to be in according to the time wherein they were spoken and to effect this he hath made a Chronological Table the exactest that he could He hath filled the vacancies which were in this Author and cut divers things which had been added and spoiled the sense he hath corrected the faults which had slipped thereinto and finally he hath cleared the places that are most difficult by his Learned Observations He observes that the Romans had Dragons in their Colours and as 't is also certain that they had Eagles in their Ensigns he teacheth us to discern these two things it is saith he that the Eagles served for the entire Legion and the Dragons for a Cohort He pretends that Sethus Calvisius having placed the Death of Procopius in the Year 365. and changed the Name of Iovinus designed Consul for the Year ensuing into that of Dagalaiphus hath added a false Calculation in all the sequel of his Chronology He makes several Discoveries and several Remarks upon the Family of the Emperour Theodosius to whom he restores two Children that no body does more than mention to wit Gratian and Pulcherius tho' it is certain that St. Gregory of Nissa and St. Ambrose have spoken thereof He speaks to the purpose upon the Chapter of Genealogies for he hath better distinguished than Mr. Henry de Valois had done the two young Valentinians whereof the one was Son to the Emperour Valentinian the first and the other was the Son of Valens and was named Galates because he was born in Galatia It was for this that the ninth Oration of Themistius was made Mr. de Valois seemed to believe when he published the first time his Ammian Marcelline that these two Valentinians were Brothers He is reproached with it here but as he corrected this fault in his Notes upon Socrates after he had seen the Idatius of Father Sirmond and that the same fault was also corrected in the new Edition in Folio of Amien it will be taken ill that Father Hardouin thought upon such a Censure and it will perhaps be said that he fetcht the occasion a little too far One of his most curious Remarks concerns the passage which induced some to believe That Themistius made profession of Christianity and which seems to be the same with that of Solomon The heart of the King is in the band of the Lord. This Philosopher cites his fine Sentiment as taken out of the Books of the Assyrians Father Petau believed by these Assyrian Books the holy Scripture was to be understood because Themistius sometimes gave the Christians the Title of Syrians according to the custom of the Gentiles who often confounded the Iews with Christians Father Hardouin rejects this Opinion and founds his own upon this that Themistius could not borrow the passage in question neither from the Original of Scripture nor from the Version of the 70. The Hebrew is Leb melek Ve Iaed Iehovah the Heart of the King in the hand of the Lord. The 70 have thus Translated it simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Themistius saith thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He has this passage from another place according to this Iesuite and not from Holy Scripture Some profane Author furnished him as was that who taught him to say That Men commonly sung upon Lebanon I know not whether it was ever said That Aesop must needs have read Solomon seeing he cites a Sentence which is found word for word in Chap. 3. of Proverbs God resists the Proud but shews favour to the Humble So it is That the 70. have turned the passage of Solomon and that the Apostle St. Iames hath cited it in his Epistle There would not be much reason under pretence of this great conformity between the passage of Aesop and that of the Scripture to maintain that Aesop had read the sacred Books for whence could he draw the signification which the teâ—m hath in the Sentence of Aesop which is a particular signification to the Greek Bible of the 70. It is better to say with Vavasseur the Iesuite That Plenuda is the Author of the Book which we call this day the Fables of Aesop. At least it is true That some Christian is the Author of the Moral Sense which hath been expressed in one of the Fables of Aesop by the very Greek terms of the Scripture An Abridgment of the Prerogatives of St. Ann Mother of the Mother of God approved by the Doctors of the Sorbonne and Translated out of French into English to accompany a Book which is Entituled Contemplations on the Life and Glory of the Blessed Virgin with the Defence of that Work and other pieces of that nature to
turn and refined manner wherewith they are united and which will very well bear a second or third review by the Reader As the Definition of an Art is the manner of well-doing a thing so this Work seems at first sight to be the same thing with a French Logick attributed to the Gentlemen of the Port-Royal and Intituled The Art of Thinking Wherefore Father Bouhours thought himself obliged to say in a Preface That his Object was different and that he hath not proposed the Teaching how to form Ratiocinations with all the exactness that Reason requireth assisted with Reflections and Precepts but that his end was to observe those Ingenious Sentiments which are called Thinking as it has a relation to the Operations of the Mind So that one regardeth exact Reason and the other a good Relish and Fine Wit The Two Persons that are to maintain the Four Dialogues whereof this Work is composed are adorned with all the Gifts which can render Conversation Ingenious and Sparkling Science hath not spoiled them nor have they much less Politeness than Learning The Judgment of the one is good and nothing pleaseth him but what 's Reasonable and Natural And all that is Glittering and Bright charms the other It 's this difference of their Judgments which is the Subject of their Dispute If there should a new Cleanthes arise he would perhaps find that Father Bouhours could as well say without Complements that he himself hath all the Good Qualities seeing he is here both Eudoxius and Philanthus as he formerly was Aristus and Eugenius In short unfold the matter to wit blot out those imaginary Names and the Elogiums run immediately back to the Author This severe Critick would perhaps let go some fine Raillery because Father Bouhours makes the Conversation proceed from the doubts upon the French Tongue proposed to the Academy by a Country Gentleman Philanthus found his Friend intent upon this Book and the business could neither be more agreeable nor more necessary to the will of Father Bouhours But this place ought not to be examined with rigour The â—tenderness of a Father left him and he could not retain his love for this expos'd Child which beareth not the Name of him that gave it Birth Do we not forgive the Transports of a Mother for her Infant because of Nature This secret power draweth us as 't were against our Will and possesseth all the affections of our hearts The first Thought that falls under the Censure of Father Bouhours is that of Lucan in this Verse so famous Victrix causa Diis placuit sed victa Catoni The Gods serve Caesar and Cato follows Pompey He saith That notwithstanding the Adorers of this Poet it hath only a fine appearance and that when it 's examin'd into it is no good Sense For it representeth the Gods upholding the Unjust Party as was that of Caesar who Sacrificed his Countrey to his Ambition and Oppressed the Publick Liberty But good Sense will suffer the Gods to approve of the Unjustice of an Usurper And Cato being a Man of worth according to the Poet there is no reason to oppose him to the Gods and to give him even the advantage over them That would destroy his Character of Vertue Notwithstanding the Friends of Lucan might say that his Thought shou'd be examined by the Spirit that reigned then amongst the Heathen The Pagans far from making any scruple to put their Gods in the unjust Party made use of a way in relation to them which was not the most respectful in the World On the contrary they would sling them out of the Windows when they were not well satisfied with them and it hath been observed that Alexander was so angry because they had let Hephestion dye that after having said a Thousand Injurious things to them he destroyed their Altars According to this opinion of Father Bouhours's there is no good Sense in all the Aeneids of Virgil. For one of the finest places is the Anger of Iuno who persecuteth pious Aeneas and utterly resolveth the loss of so good a Man in a passion because Paris did not think her handsome As for Cato all the World knows that those who were educated as he was in the Opinions of the Stoicks had not a Piety so exact Seneca would say boldly That the Prosperity of Sylla was the crime of the Gods The quality of Honest Man that was given to Cato regardeth only his unshaken Love for the Publick Liberty and Good wherewith he was animated So the Poet that makes him a Hero upon that account by a noble and bold thought puts the resolution of Cato in ballance with the Power of the Gods and the Fortune of Caesar. The Reader charmed with so fine a stroak doth not stand to decide the Quarrel of Caesar with Pompey nor to examin which of the two had most justly unsheathed his sword Father Bouhours after having marked that Breboeus mistook the Sense of Lucan and that he has been a little remiss in this place begins to give Rules to discover a True Thought He saith That it ought to be Natural and far from those Lustres which have no Solidity that it ought to be a faithful Image of the Thing it Represents and always founded upon Truth Not but that a Thought which runs upon a Fiction may be Just provided it be authorised in the Fable but the points of Wit which the Italians call Vivezze d'ingegno are not agreeable to the Judgment of this Age. Metaphors well placed produce a handsom effect and they are very ingeniously compared to Transparent Vails which let us see what they cover The Author disapproveth not Equivocations For example this of Mr. Voiture in favour of the Coachman that had overturned Cardinal Mazarin He thought he could hazard nothing in overturning you saith he to him because you always fall upon your feet The true sense of this Equivocation was that nothing overturned either his Designs or Fortune and that his Wit was still in the same scituation and drew him out of the most entangling Affairs But if the Reputation of Mr. de Voiture made it be approved in that time we may doubt it wou'd not now have the same success Our Age delicate even to a scruple loves not the Games of Wit wherein Ambiguity makes all the Finery wherefore he adds here that they become nauseous and insipid even at the very instant that we think to gain credit by ' em A mysterious appearance that forms a double sense causes a secret despite when having sought long to find the true meaning we perceive it to be a thing of so little value Hyperboles so dear to the Italians and Spaniards have a little more credit provided there is nothing excessive in them For Vertue it self ceaseth from being so as soon as it runs into Extremities and it was permitted to Mr. de Balzack only to speak with a Grave Tone things that were extream If they are too harsh they must
be sweetned with Terms and so prepare the Mind for it that it might not be obliged to revolt Notwithstanding they lye according to Quintillian without deceiving and lead to Truth by a Lye because something on 't is always abated and the intent of it is reduced to a reasonable Sense And if the exactness of thoughts makes the beauty of the Work we must not be litigious with a Sporting Writer who in a small debauch of Wit speaks a World of Follies to please himself Then too much strictness would be a Fault And as a Woman ought not to be regularly dressed but for Ceremonious days so the'yre only grave and important Pieces where all ought to be in the utmost exactness After that the Author relates Examples of false Thoughts that he has drawn if our Conjecture be true from Essays of Morality He condemns much this Moral Reflection When Ignorant Persons see these great Libraries they imagine a Man happy or capable to know all that was contained in these Collection of Volumes which they consider as Treasures of Light But they are mistaken for if all that shou'd be reunited in one head only it would not either be more Regular or more Wise It would but augment its Confusion and darken its Light Yet the Fancy is neither altogether just nor altogether false For if there are Wits capable of disintangling all these Idea's there are a great many more to whom Reading doth but produce disorder and obscurity And as the design is to make Men perceive the unprofitableness and vanity of Human Sciences there was no great danger of pushing the Reflection a little beyond the Truth Father Bouhours also condemneth the false Motions of Preachers He Laughs at him who examining the Reason why Iesus Christ after his Resurrection first appeared to Mary saith That it was because God would have the Mystery of his Rising to be Publick and that a Secret of this Importance in the hands of a Woman would speedily be spread every where He maintains that if Custom hath authorised in Profane Works such Thoughts as make Fortune enter in the shape of a Person that is like the trifling and Chimerical Divinity which the Pagans thought presided over Events and dispensed Good or Evil according to its Capriciousness it ought now to be banished because it savors too much of the Fable and Paganism After which he merrily proposeth this Question Whether we may with exactness say That the Heart is more ingenious than the Mind But why should it not be said Seeing those that Love have their sight more fine and quick than the most apprehensive persons Nothing escapes Love it refines above all things and knows how to deceive the most clear-sighted This opposition of the Heart and Mind may be very delicatly applyed And can there be any thing juster than this The Mind cannot personate the Heart very long At the beginning of the Second Dialogue the Author gives us to observe That from the Elevation of our Thoughts shou'd proceed a certain Sublimity that transporteth even to ravishment He cites this Magnificent Elogy that Seneca gives to Cicero That he is the onely Wit that the Romans had equal to their Empire and this of Horace That Caesar brought into subjection the whole Vniverse except the fierce and invincible Soul of Cato After this is a long Chain of Passages of divers Authors and a very Polite Commentary upon the finest places of Tatius He shews that this Poet robbed others but that sometimes he so pleasantly stole from them that his Thefts were pardonable Father Bouhours ingenuously confesseth that he 's not violent for the Antients and it 's easily seen that the Moderns have very much Charmed him Wherefore he rangeth himself in the Sentiment of Chancellor Bacon who said That the Antiquity of Ages was the Youth of the World and that in Accounting justly we are properly the Antients Those that will be willing to determin of his Judgment may do it by examining the Choice of such Thoughts as he cites for Examples of Nobility and Majesty In this great number the Praises of the King are not omitted It is say they a Noble Thought to tell him That he hath the Looks of a Hero and that if the Title of Majesty was not due to his Rank it would be to his Person That he is not like those that would be Nothing if they ceased to be Kings but that the Hero is greater in him than the King and that there is nothing above his Dignity but his Merit We shall add that in the high Elevation Kings are placed they seldom tast without mixture the pleasure of being Praised because it may be perplexed with this unquiet Thought that in their Persons is not adored the Fortune whereof they are Masters and by this Reflection so Judicious in a Prince I should be proud of the Praises that are given me if those that give them to me durst tell me the contrary Comparisons also produce a handsom effect where they are rich and noble well chosen and borrowed from the greatest Subjects of Nature and Art They must not be too bold neither ought they also to be condemned with too much precipitation because with them often it is the same as with those Pictures where that which seems at first to offend the sight by strokes too strong and particular is a happy boldness and a Master-piece of Work in the eyes of understanding Men. In the matter of Comparisons it 's said that the Prince of Conde said one day after having read the Lives of St. Ignatius and St. Xavier St. Ignatius Caesar who never did any thing without good Reasons St. Xavier Alexander whose Courage hurry'd him away sometimes The Author ravished with so happy a Comparison finds a wonderful Relation between the Character of these Two Apostolical Men and thâ—se Two Famous Conquerors For St. Ignatius was Illustrious by his fine Atchievement in Arms and in leaving the World he lost not his Warlike Ideas On the contrary he conceived the Affairs of God under these Martial Images whereof his head was filled and it was in the Meditation of the Two Standards that he formed the Draught of his Order and in the same Mind he gave it a WARLIKE NAME calling it the Society of Iesus As for St. Xavier as he has made many Evangelical Conquests in the Indies so there is no Injustice in comparing him to Alexander the Conqueror of Asia both having always followed the ardour that animated them without being frightned at the perils inseparable from great Designs But both have sometimes suffered themselves to be transported with their Courage and have almost passed the bounds of Heroick Vertue Can there be any thing more Noble or that can give a higher and more magnificent Idea of the Society than to make these Two Founders equal with these Two Heroes who have brought the World under their Yoak and founded the Two Greatest Empires in the World We must not
was his most usual Method Division was as a Ladder whereby to ascend from sensible things to things intellectual Definition was a way to lead from things demonstrated to those that were not and Induction the means to find the Truth by the Principles of Suppositions For by Division he came to Definition and by Definition to Induction and Demonstration The Two Rules which Aristotle Establisheth for the perfect composition of a Syllogism are That there ought to be nothing false in the Matter or faulty in the Form The Principles of Epicurus's Doctrin are 1. That Sense cannot be deceived because the Impression that it receives from the Object is always true being wrought by a sensible Species but that the Reasoning which the Soul makes upon that Impression may be false 2. That the Opinion which is drawn from sentation may be true or false That it is true when the judgment of the Senses is made in form without Let and with such Evidence as Reason cannot resist and that it may be false when it wants that Evidence These are the Principal Maxims of the Logick of Epicurus upon which he grounds the different reasonings of the Soul that are made in the Mind according to the Sympathy that there is between the Spirit and the Senses I hold with Plato who saith in his Phedrus That the end of Moral Philosophy is to purifie the Mind from the Errors of Imagination by the Reflections that Philosophy suggests to one The two most Essential Points in it are the End and the Means to attain it Not to receive for Truth what is but probable is a necessary Caution to make one walk discreetly in so obcsure a Path as is that of natural Philosophy the Ways where of are uncertain Descartes's first Principle is I think therefore I am which he proposes as the first evident and sensible Truth but narrowly examined hath in it somewhat defective For the Proposition I think being to be reduced to that I am thinking that is to say I am therefore I am makes frivolous Sense Descartes's Natural Philosophy is one of the most learned and accomplished Pieces of Modern Physics in it there are Curious Idea's and quaint Imaginations and if minded well there is to be found in it a more regular Doctrin than in Galilaeus or the English and even more Novelty and Invention than is Gassendus himself It is a Work whereof the order is not excogitated His Method is alltogether Geometrical which leads from Principles to Principles and from Propositions to Propositions However this is a fault in him that he settles for the Principle of a natural Body Motion Figure and Extension which are much the same with the Principles of Democritus and Epicurus Father Mersenne who was resident at Paris having one day given out in an Assemoy of the learned that Monsieur Descartes who had gain'd reputation by his Geometry was projecting of Natural Philosophy wherein he admitted Vacuity That Project was hissed at by Robertval and some others who from thence forward thought it would prove no great Atchievement Father Mersenne wrote to him that Vacuity was not at a-la-Mode at Paris which obliged Descartes to devise measures to keep in good Terms with the new Naturalists whose Suffrage he courted and to admit the Plenitude of Leucippus So through Policy the exclusion of Vacuity became one of his Principles This made Gassendus start new difficulties to him shewing that if there were no Vacuity Motion which was one of his Principles would be impossible because nothing moves if there be no Void for it Descartes to save that Inconvenience invented his thin subtile matter whereof he made a kind of Engine which he apply'd to many things and thereby he reconciled the Opinion of Plentitude and Vacuity according as he stood in need of either But as Plenitude and that thin subtile Matter got place in the System of Descartes mearly out of complaisance to the relish of the Age and as an after-game so his Philosophy seemed weak in respect to Motion which is one of his Principles For that Philosopher taught that all Motion was created with the World that there was no new Motion produced and that it did no more than shift from one Body to another that the thin subtle Matter by its impulse caused all the gravity or levity of Bodies that the alteration of heavy Bodies towards the Center proceeded from the same impulse that Heat was nothing but the agitation of the particles of the Air put in Motion by the subtle Matter which in his Doctrin was a Kind of a Spring fit for all things That the Vegetation of Plants and Generation of Animals is performed only by a fortuitous Motion of his little Bodies as a Palace might be erected by a heap of Stones moved by Chance that there is no sentation in Animals That these Demonstrations of joy Sadness Amity and Aversion and the impressions of pain and pleasure that appear in them are but the effects of a kind of Spring and Engine that plays according as the Matter is disposed that Heat is not in the Fire Hardness in the Marble Humidity in the Water That these things are only in the Soul which finds Fire hot Marble hard and Water humid by its thought and not at all by these qualities which are but Chimera's In fine Descartes who would have us begin by doubting of every thing to lay aside all our Notices strip our selves of our Sentiments Custom Education Opinion of our very Senses and all other Impressions that we may but learn some small inconsiderable matter demands more than he promises And when to give the Reason of things he says they happen by a certain Figure Motion or Extension he hath said all for he dives into nothing for all he pretends to be so great a Democritist he understands not the true Doctrin of Democritus His System of the Loadstone with these little hooked Bodies these hallowed Spiral parts is without Foundation His Opinion of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea by the Impression and Atmosphere of the Moon is found false by experience for the parts of Water that are under the Moon swell instead of sinking us he saith The Explication which he gives to all the Motions of the Soul in its passions by the Conjunction of Nerves and Fibres which are inserted in the Glandula Pinealis is a Dream for there are no Nerves which terminate at that Glandule He says nothing rational concerning Sounds In short he may be said to be like those Pithagoreans of whom Aristotle speaks who did not so much endeavour to give a Reason of the things they explain'd as to reduce every thing to their own Principle and System The natural Philosophy of the Chymists with their three Principles Salt Sulphur and Mercury hath no solidity They are narrow Spirited Philosophers who being unable to comprehend Universal Philosophy have stinted themselves to limited Subjects and their own Genius They may be reduced to
Testament being Originally written by the Holy Pen-men of it in the Hebrew Tongue in and by the same God hath made and preserved the whole Revelation of his Will from the Beginning unto the coming of Jesus Christ and it hath been received as the only Foundation Rule and Standard of all Translations by Jews and Christians 2. The Hebrew Bible is so received and doth so reveal the Mind of God according as it is at present pointed for without Points it is either mute and speaks nothing or else speaketh whatever Men please to have it say or is most dubious having divers and contrary sences Hence the Jews say of it That the Points are to the Letters as the Soul is to the Body the one without the other hath neither Life nor Motion and as Garments to a Person without which none can come forth in publick And so are Vowels to Consonants with them they may sound and signifie without them they cannot And as they say He that reads without Points is like one that rideth a Horse without a Bridle and knoweth not whither he goeth And as Marcus Marinus Brixianus saith in his Preface to Arca Noae There would be more Confusion in this one Book without Points than was at Babel The Oracles of Apollo were not more dubious nor any Lesbian Rule more crooked It would be a meer Nose of Wax whereby Men may make quidlibet ex quolibet what they please of any thing in it For the Vowel letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ehevi are omitted in innumerable places where their Presence is indispensably necessary if there were no Points the like is no where found in any Language or Book besides And in many places where they are used they are to signifie quite contrary to what they import as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And yet the Matter is most sublime consisting of Divine Revelation the Style more elyptical concise and abstruse in Iob Psalms Proverbs Isaiah c. and in many places without any Connexion of Antecedents and Consequents as in Proverbs c. that there is left no means to understand the Mind of God in it without Points On this Account the Papists tell us we must fly to the Infallibility of their Pope and the Atheistical profane sort say that we may live as we list there being no certain Rule of Faith at this day amongst us Now the Opinion under debate leaves the Bible in this confused Condition by assigning the Invention of the Points to such an Original as render them fitter to be blotted out of the Bible than kept in it any longer as being the work of the blind hardned Jews of Tiberias A.D. 500. For it is impossible that the whole Pronunciation of the Bible could be preserved so long as a Thousand Years from Ezra until A. D. 500. under that calamitous state of the Jews whilst the Tongue ceased to be vulgarly pronounced or known amongst them The Rabbies themselves the only supposed Preservers of it lamenting they had so lost it in this time that they found great difficulty to explain the Apax Legomenon or words that are but once used in Scripture of which there are many as Kimchi's Preface to Miklol and to Sepher Shereshim declares the most being kept by the Mishna which was unlawful in their Opinion to have been written being their Oral Law of unwritten Traditions but only to prevent its being quite lost by the Calamities of those Times How then was it possible to keep from Age to Age the true sound of all the Points Vowels and Accents of the Old-Testament without the Shapes when multitudes of them cannot be distinguished by their Sound at all and no memory of Man is able so much as once to receive the very Pauses or Notes of Distinction nor yet the very Anomalies of the Punctation nor can the greatest Rabbi by all his Skill and Custom to read by Points be able to Point an Unpointed Bible truly from end to end without a Copy before him Therefore to suppose that for a Thousand Years before they had the Shapes of the Points they could infallibly and perfectly preserve all the Pronuciation of it by Oral Tradition or Use and Custom is to build Castles in the Air And therefore Dr. Broughton saith of this Opinion pag. 169. that Elias Levita lyeth for the Whetstone when he saith That the Iews of Tiberias and their Ancestors were so cunning that from Age to Age they remembred how Moses pronounced all the fourteen Vowels as though God would have a dull People to torment their Souls with the memory of Sounds 2. But Secondly If that were possible that the Pronunciation might be so long preserved true even until A. D. 500. what Trust or Belief is there to be had in these Masorites not only for their Ability at this time but especially for their Fidelity which at best could be but Humane Nay what Evidence is there that these Masorites of Tiberias A. D. 500. were the Inventors of the Points if they could be trusted For no History says so of them the Jews universally deny it of them Elias only excepted The Work of the Masorites which is the Masora proves the contrary The absurdity of this Opinion is compendiously expressed by Dr. Iohn Owen in his Considerations on the Prolegomena to the Pollyglott Bible pag. 243. Of all the Fables that are in the Talmud saith he I know none more incredible than this Story That Men who cannot by any Story or other Record be made to appear that they ever were in rerum natura Men obscure unobserved not taken notice of by any Learned Man Jew or Christian should in a time of deep Ignorance in the place where they lived amongst a People wholly addicted to monstrous Fables themselves blinded under the Curse of God find out so great so excellent a work of such unspeakable usefulness not once advising with the Men of their own Profession and Religion who then flourished in great abundance at Babylon and the places adjacent and impose it on all the World that receive the Scriptures and have every tittle of their work received without any opposition or question from any Person or Persons of any Principle whatever yea so as to have their Invention made the constant Rule of all following Expositions Comments and Interpretations Credat Apella And as Dr. Lightfoot saith in his Centuria Chorograph cap. 61. pag. 146. If you can believe the Points of the Bible to proceed from such a School believe also all their Talmuds The Pointing of the Bible favours of the work of the Holy Spirit not of wicked blind and mad Men. To conclude The Unpointed Bible hath not that plainness perspicuity and agreement with it self which is indispensably necessary to render it meet to be a Rule of Faith and Worship and the present Punctation would deservedly be rejected if it had no better Oâ—iginal than to be the Invention of some
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bo c. If one wou'd have examples of such Rhimes in some modern Poesie he may only consult those who have written of the Spanish Poesies wherein Assonants are called Rhimes which the Rabbins call Passables and the other Consonants But both of 'em have learned from the Arabians the Rules of their Poesie 3. The Number of the Rimes is not â—ixed there are sometimes several of a sort and fewer of another so in Psal. 11 3 5. there are five in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mo which are only separated by two Rhimes in ac of the fourth Verse There are Psalms whose Verses do end almost all in the same Rhime as the Psal. 119. which endeth almost all in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cha The Arabians have also such Poesies whereof we have several examples as the Poem entituled Tagrai which all ends in LI that of abu El-ula which ends all in LA c. The Order of the Rhimes is neither the same in a Psalm but resembles altogether that of our irregular Verses which we dispose as we please It may likewise be that in some places they were satisfied with the Cadence without searching necessarily for a rhime Indeed there are some places in the Psalms where there are no Rhimes found tho' the sense seems to want nothing as at the end of Psal. 111 and 112. There are some modern Tongues and amongst others the Italian and the English where there are very good Verses made without rhime in observing only a certain Cadence 4. The length of Verses is also seldom the same and it seems the Hebrews did not at all matter it If perchance two Verses of the same measure present themselves to their mind they shunned them not but they did not also seek the equality of measure which shows that their Poesie was not very polished 5. As the Hebrews have not long Periods their Verses are seldom long such as are those of the Psalm 119. The others are so short that there are of two Syllables as in our irregular Verses It is perhaps for this reason that they call a Hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mizmor from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zamar which signifies to cut because its Style is extreamly cut and that for to make the Cadence of the Verses to be felt we ought several times to stop at a Period It is true that this Verse signifies to sing in the Piel but the signification of Piel comes from that of Kal. This day with the Arabians who sing their Verses in cutting them into divers lengths zamaria signifies to sing 6. The Poesie of the Hebrews not being very regular cannot but be full of Licenses as to what concerns the Rhimes whereof the greatest according to the Rabbins are those which make different Letters to Rhime but whose Pronunciation is alike Nevertheless as their Poesies were rather made for to rehearse them or to sing them than to read them they did not so much matter to satisfie the Eyes as the Ears So though in reading these Verses one may be offended to see them rhime by different Letters the Ear being not offended thereat they made no difficulty to make use of these Rhimes For example in the Psal. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jehgueh rhimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phalgue and in the 5 th Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mischpat rhimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adath Besides the Rhime we also remark in the Verses of the Hebrews the same Cadence which is seen in our rhimed Verses only that the lengths are not so well observed in it as in ours which without this could not be pronounced But they are not absolutely necessary in the Hebrew Verses because commonly they are much shorter than ours and often so short that there can be no cutting off 7. As almost all Nations put Verses sometime in their Poesies which are repeated and which are called in French le refrein We find also of them in the Hebrew Psalms as in Psal. 118. and in Psal. 136. but they have perhaps this in particular that the Verses which are placed between those of the refrein sometimes rhime not together as may be seen in the last of the two Psalms which we have cited 8. They affect sometimes to make their Verses begin by a certain Letter In Psal. 119. the first eight Verses begin by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eight following by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus after one another unto the end of the Alphabet In the 37 th the same thing is remarked only that it is but each Stanza which begins by a Letter of the Alphabet according to the Order they are ranged This made some believe that in some of the Psalms there were Acrostick Verses and indeed it hath been remarked that the first Letters of the Verses of some might form the sense but the irregularity of the Verses hindering one to be alwayes assured that the beginning of each was discovered and it being besides possible that these first Letters form a sense by a pure chance we have dared to determine nothing thereupon 9. It 's needless here to enlarge upon the Style of the Hebrew Poesie because it hath scarcely any thing in particular and it cannot be remarked in general of all Poesies We shall only say that amongst the Elegancies of the Hebrew Poesie one thing hath been found which is common to it with that of the Greeks viz. it borrows words and wayes of speaking of the neighbouring Dialects as from the Chaldaick Tongue Examples may be seen in the Psalms CIII 3 4 5. CXVI 7 I2 where there are found Chaldean suffixes There is a very remarkable one in Psal. 11. whereof mention shall be made hereafter This Observations is very important because it serves for the explication of divers places and to Correct some Faults of Copyers which hinder the Rhime to be found which appeareth every where else These Rules being established I must relate here some other particular Proofs which shall serve to confirm the general ones whereof I have made use to shew that the Poesie of the Hebrews might have been like the ancient Poesie of the Arabians IV. Some Learned Men have made good remarks in the Poetical Books of the Old Testament of rhimed Verses in divers places but they believed that pure chance had produced them without any Pains taken by the Sacred Writers thereabouts 1. For to prove clearly that they are mistaken it would be necessary for me to produce here a Work which I have made upon the Psalms where they might be seen reduced into rhimed Verses and where they are disposed so that in casting an Eye on them one may be assured of the truth of the Hypothesis which we have advanced I have tryed the same thing upon divers places of the other Poetical Books and the Hymns which are in the Pentateuch and the Iudges It succeeded with me happily enough though
easie to be appeased and exercising his Wrath but in a moment whilst his Mercy appears for a very long time see Psal. 30.6 But according to the LXX there is no difficulty neither for the Rhime nor for the sense which is here God is a just Iudge patient and who is not alwayes provoked The same is found Psal. 134.1 three words in the Version of the LXX which are not in the Hebrew and which yet are necessary for the Rhime All ye Servants of God who stand in the House of the Lord in the Porch of the House of God lift up your hands towards the Sanctuary Words included amongst Crochets are not found in Hebrew and yet they are necessary for the Rhime The repetition of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beth jahvoh House of the Lord seems to have been the cause of this Omission as it is easie to conceive it for those who have sometimes Copied Writings where the same words were repeated 6. There is yet one thing which may convince those who understand these kinds of matters that the Poesie of the Hebrews is a Rhimed Poesie for there is a place in the Psalms where the Sacred Authors have made use of certain words not much in use among the Hebrews or wayes of expressing drawn from the Neighbouring Dialects in places where the words and expressions common to the Hebrews would make no Rhime whereas these strange words do Rhime perfectly well for example the Author of Psal. 2. made use in Ver. 12. of the Chaldean word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bar Son which Rhimes very well with the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jibar which is in the sequel whereas the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ben which signifies the same thing and which in Ver. 7. would make no Rhime there So also in Psal. 103. the Psalmist speaking to his Soul viz. to himself speaks in the Feminine because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nephesch Soul is of this Gender and faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al thischechi ne obliviscare tu anima which obligeth him to use the Chaldaick and Syriack suffixe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chi in the following Rhimes because in using the Hebrew suffixe there would have been no Rhime It is true that this Rhime in chi hath produced three others but that same sheweth that these Rhimes are sought for and not lit on by chance 7. In treating of the Poesie of the other Eastern Tongues we might mention that of the Phoenicians Neighbours to the Hebrews and whose Tongue was the same as theirs but as what hath been said of the Poesie of the Arabians and Ethiopians is so undoubted and that what can be said of Phoenician Poesie appears not so evident we have chosen to speak of it here only as of a consequence and to make use of the same until we had proved another way that the Poesie of the Hebrews could only be a rhimed Poesie The Hebrew and Phoenician Tongues being the same if the Hebrews could only make rhimed Verses it followeth that the Phoenicians had none else There remains no fragment of Phoenician Poesie amongst us but ten lines which are in the Paenulus of Plantus for the Phoenician Tongue and that of Carthage are looked upon to be the same The Verses having never been written but in Latin Characters and by Men who understood them not it cannot be this day promised to re-establish them wholly It is true that Plautus hath translated them afterwards into eleven Latin Verses But first one may conjecture from thence that there hath been one line lost because there is a repetition in the Latin Verses which undoubtedly comes from the Phoenician not being conformable to the Genius of the Latin Tongue but very common in the Hebrew Tongue Meà sque ut gnatas mei fratris filium Reperire me siritis Dii vestram fidem Quae mihi surreptae sunt fratris filium Plautus would never have repeated fratris filium if this repetition had not been in the Original Secondly Plautus seems to have Translated the rest with pretty much liberty as Bochart who has most happily re-established these Verses hath shewn So one ought not to be surprized if there should be no Vestiges of Rhimes found here Yet there are such considerable ones found in them that we can scarcely doubt but that they have been true Rhimed Verses That it may be the more easily known I shall put them here in Hebrew and Latin Characters with an English Version where each Verse is translated word for word I have followed partly Bochart and partly the Version of Plautus rather than the Terms of the Original as they are in Latin Characters I shall not undertake to expound in partcular each Verse because Bochart hath partly done it already and because the Version which is added thereunto is sufficient I shall only admonish the Reader of three things The one is That each Line of the Phoenician written in Latin contains two Verses which were joined together because Plautus hath expressed two of them in one Latin Verse so that for eleven Verses of Plautus there should be twenty two Phoenician ones whereas there are but twenty But as it hath been already said there is a Line lost to wit two Verses this hath been supplyed in Translating the Verse of Plautus into two little Verses which do rhime together as the other The second thing is That we know not the Pronunciation of the Punick Tongue as to what concerns the Vowels It might be that it came nearer to the Syriack or Arabick than the Hebrew or even that in Affrick some words were pronounced quite otherwise than in Asia as it is now seen in the different Dialects of the Arabick Tongue and as it s known that the Nations of Europe whose Tongue comes from the same source pronounce the same Root quite otherwise in respect to the Vowels though it retains the same Consonants So although we can mark here the radical Letters and that they can be punctuated after the way of the Hebrews or that of the Syrians it doth not at all follow that that is the true Pronunciation of the Words The Consonants principally ought to be taken heed of and consider if they might have been pronounced so that they rhime together For example who could tell if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been pronounced benothai or benothi or benothe It sufficeth therefore to make the following Verses by a word which ends in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing it 's not known after what manner the Carthaginians pronounced this Termination The third thing which ought to be Noted here regards the places wherein we have swerved from the Conjectures of Bochart We have a little disagreed with him in Verses 3 4 5 11 17 and 32 besides the 9 th and 10 th which have been added It 's needless to stay to tell the reason of every change those who would know if they
Gregory of Nyssa in his Discourses against those that defer Baptism distinguisheth three sorts of Persons with Relation to the other Life The first Order is that of the Saints and Righteous which will be happy the second those that shall be neither happy nor unhappy and the third those that shall be punished for their Sins He puts in the second Rank those that cause themselves to be Baptized at the point of Death There is a Letter of this Father concerning Voyages made to Ierusalem where he diverts the Faithful from undergoing slightly these sort of Pilgrimages by reason of the Abuses that proceed from thence Some Catholicks have been willing to make it pass as Supposititious but Mr. du Pin believes it to be true Here Priscillian and his Disciples are placed in the Rank of Ecclesiastical Authors after St. Ierom who speaks thus of them Priscillian Bishop of Avila was put to death in the City of Treves by the Command of the Tyrant Maximus having been oppressed by the Faction of Itharius He hath written several Works whereof some are come to us Some accuse him this day of the Heresie of the Gnosticks of Basilide and Marcion But others defend him and maintain that he was not Guilty of the Errors that are imputed to him It 's true pursues Mr. du Pin that the same St. Ierom in his Letter to Ctesiphon speaks of Priscillian as of a notable Heretick which hath made Mr. du Quesnel believe that this place of the Ecclesiastical Writers was corrupted This Conjecture which is grounded upon the Authority of a Manuscript would be of Consequence if we knew not that St. Ierom hath often spoke differently of the same Man besides it 's apparently the manner that St. Ierom speaks in his Catalogue which placed Priscillian and Matronian his Disciple in some Martyrologies amongst the Holy Martyrs The second Letter of Pope Syricius furnisheth us with a fine Example Saith Mr. du Pin of the Ancient manner of the Holy Patriarchs Iudging He writes in it to the Church of Milan that having Assembled all his Clergy he had condemned Jovinian and all his Sectators by the advice of the Priests Deacons and the whole Clergy Baronius Bellarmin and some others pretend that part of the second Letter of St. Epiphanius is Supposititious because he there relates a History which is not favourable to the Worship of their Church Being entred saith this Bishop into a Church of a Village in Palestine call'd Anablatha and having found a Vail that hung at the Door which was Painted where there was an Image of Iesus Christ or some Saint for I do not remember whose it was but since against the Authority of Holy Scripture there was in the Church of Iesus Christ the Image of a Man I rent it and gave order to those that had the Care of this Church to bury a dead Body with this Vail Mr. du Pin after having proved that all this Letter is St. Epiphanius's adds That though it be true that there were placed in some Churches Pictures that represented the Histories of the Scriptures and the Actions of the Saints and Martyrs it cannot be said that this use was general and that it must be granted that St. Epiphanius hath disapproved it although without reason according to him for I believe continueth he that it would be contrary to the Candor and Sincerity that Religion demands of us to give another Sense to these words After the Extracts of the Writings of the Fathers are found those of the Councils held in the Fourth Age. The Canons of that which is called the Council of Elvira are an old Code or an ancient Collection of the Councils of Spain and it cannot be doubted but these Canons are of great Antiquity and very Authentick The XXXIV Canon and the XXXVI have given much Exercise to the Roman Catholick Divines The one forbiding to light Wax-Candles in the Church-yard because the Spirits of Saints must not be troubled and the other Paintings in Churches lest the Object of our Adorations should be painted on the Walls They have endeavoured to give several Expositions on these Passages but it seems to me saith Mr. du Pin that it is better to understand them simply and to allow that the Fathers of this Council have not approved the use of Images no more than of Wax-Candles lighted in open day But continueth he these things are of Discipline and may or may not be in use and do no Prejudice to the Faith of the Church The XXXV Canon prohibits Women to pass in the Night in Church-yards because often under pretence of Praying they in secret committed great Crimes The LX deprives such of the quality of Martyrs as are killed in pulling down Idols publickly because the Gospel commands it not nor is it read that it was practised by the Christians in the time of the Apostles The same Spirit of Parties which wrested the Canons of the Council of Elvira hath caused Men to doubt of the History of Paphnusius related by Socrates lib. 1. c. 9. This Egyptian Bishop opposed the new Law that was going to be made in the Council of Nice to oblige Bishops Priests and Deacons to keep unmarried and abstain from Women that they had espoused before their Ordination Although he himself had never been married he maintained that this Yoke was not to be imposed upon the Clergy and that it was to bring the Chastity of Women in danger I believe saith Mr. du Pin upon this speaking of the Roman Catholick Doctors that this doubt proceeds rather from the fear they are in that this act should do some hurt to the present Disciplin than of any solid proof But these Persons should consider that this Regulation is purely a Disciplin which the Disciplin of the Church may change according to the times and that to maintain it it is not necessary to prove it hath always been uniform in all places The Author shews that it was Osius Bishop of Cordova who presided in the Council of Nice and not the Legats of the Pope He only acknowledges for Authentick Monuments of this Council the Form of Faith the Letter to the Egyptians the Decree touching Easter and the two first Canons He consequently rejects as Supposititious pieces the Latin Letter of this Council to St. Sylvester the Answer of this Bishop and the Canons of a pretended Synod held at Rome for the Confirmation of that of Nice The Christians of that time who were not perfectly instructed by the holy Scripture in what they ought to believe touching the Mystery of the blessed Trinity were in great uncertainty for neither the Tradition nor Authority of the Church were then infallible marks of the Truth of a Tenet since the Ecclesiastical Assemblies that the most reasonable Catholicks make the Depositaries of these Traditions and Authority some time declare for the Arians some time for the Orthodox and another for a third
Laws had respect only to the Republick of the Iews The Author is of the contrary Sentiment and pretends that as there is Incest betwixt the Father and Grand-Daughter there is no difference for the other prohibited degrees According to him the Commands in Leviticus are not pure Ceremonies and Rules of Policy they are the Determinations of Reason and Sense and the Decrees of Nature which God hath engraven in our Hearts In effect natural Modesty resists these Marriages betwixt Persons so near in whose Veins the same Blood seems still to run As Decency and Honesty ought always to preside it is better to be too scrupulous for fear of wounding good Manners than to expose our selves to give a scandal to the publick Consequently the Pope cannot dispense with the Precepts of Leviticus which are of a positive right It was the Opinion of Thomas Aquinas that these Laws are Obligatory and of a perpetual Observation with which the Pope cannot dispense because his Authority is Inferiour to him that made them The greatest part of the Doctors which were consulted upon the famous question of the Divorcement of Henry the VIII which made so much noise in the last Age upheld the same Sentiment To this we shall add but one thing That there ought to be some difference put betwixt the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity The latter do not produce so streight a connexion and often are but fictious which Men have invented for Decency whilst the first are formed by Blood and Nature it self In the third Dissertation which treats of Divorces Mr. Mayerus maintains that under the ancient Law Women taken in Adultery were punished with the utmost Punishments But since that time Men have been mighty slack in this For now the whole affront is on the Husbands side and it hath been very prettily said that if a young Woman commits Uncleanness it is for her self and that if a VVife doth as much it is imputed to her Husband Neither is it remark'd that this extream rigidness was practised amongst the Iews On the contrary here it s related that there was amongst them two Opinions which divided them The one maintained that the Bill of Divorce could be given for Adultery only the other that it could be done on other occasions provided they were of consequence Deformity for example old Age or ill humour or for boyling the Meat too much Howbeit Mr. Mayerus proves that Adultery is the only cause for which Marriage may be dissolved and shews it plainly by the words of Jesus Christ in the Gospel This truth cannot be withstood but the use on 't would be dangerous in so corrupt an Age as ours and where the disloyalty of Women is only a pleasant entertainment The best on 't is that each quietly dissembles his Disgraces and Sorrows without rushing into sad demonstrations of it And Men laugh as well at the Accuser as the accused It is then better prudently not to clear our selves herein and to believe our suspicions and restlesness ill grounded When all is done there are such Husbands as it is difficult to be faithful to them and whose Person is a kind of excuse for the Weaknesses and Errors of a young Heart For in fine we do not love by Reason and Duty and nothing is truer than VVho gives his Child a Man she hates Must answer all the faults such Tye creates Moliere Discourses `upon the Sciences in which besides the Method of studying it is taught how we ought to make use of Sciences to enrich our Minds with Iustice and our Hearts with Piety for the Good of the Church With Advice to such as live Retire in Holy Orders at Bruxels Sold by Eug. Henry Frick 1614. in 12s and at Rotterdam by Reiniers Leers THere is all the likelyhood in the World that these Dicourses were made by the same Father of the Oratory who is the Author of the Art of speaking and of the new reflection upon the Art of Poetry He is a Man that understands the Mathematicks examins things with much application expresses himself clearly and who wanted no fine Thoughts As he has studied much it was impossible for him not to observe the usual defects as to the Methods which are followed in studying He gives us his Reflections thereupon They are sometimes superficial enough but it is a mark of his Judgment for a Book that is for the use of all those that study must not be filled with Depths and Abstractions which is to refer all to God All the World needs to be advertised thereof and the Men of Letters more than others The first of the seven Discourses wherewith this Work is composed shews the Profit of Learning But after that we are shewn that it is prejudicial to certain Men because it swells and spoils their Mind and that it procures them nothing which doth free them from this loss A man saith this Author whom too violent an Application to his studies hath made sick and reduced into Poverty through his neglecting his Affairs amongst Persons which neglect or despise him which is the common lot of Learned Men This man I say is esteem'd by perhaps a dozen Scholars English German Italian c. whereof one speaks of him advantageously in strange Countries another cites his Works with Encomiums but these praises which scarcely do reach him do not deliver him from his Sickness do not feed him nor secure him against the Iudgments of God We are moreover advertised that over-curiosity is no less prejudicial to Men of study than Pride it is necessary notwithstanding very necessary to study Let the Debauched boast as much as they will of their Genius and Wit the Author cannot believe their Ability even in sensual Pleasures To advance in Letters saith he we must love Solitude deprive our selves of pastimes resist the lightness of our Mind which requires change we must oblige our selves to a certain rule for rising for going to Bed for taking our Meals and our Recreations that we may fix the hours of our Study and find time which we should employ thereat These are Labours essentially necessary to become Learned After that we must no more admire that amongst so many that are destined for Studies there are so few that succeed True it is that we see People who pleased themselves in naming certain Learned Persons which have been very disorderly in their Youth The name of these Learned Men is cited in all places but it is an ill excuse for the Slothful and Voluptuous to make use of where they see that they are upbraided with the Abuse which they make of their time and that they are foretold of the sorrowful Consequences thereof It is an unhappy Illusion It is impossible that those who constantly study may not become very Learned but it is almost impossible that a Man who doth not extreamly study should acquire much Learning and if the few Examples which are alledged were examined well it would be found that they
watch what is the cause of it v. 2. n. 16 q. 2 Dying persons why they fold the Sheets v. 2. n. 16 q 8 Debauchery and ruine of youth how prevented v. 2. n. 16. q 19 Dream why of things we never thought of v. 2. n. 17. q. 3 Delightful what is most so to any Man v. 2. n. 17. q. 4. Debt whether a Man may Marry then v. 2. n. 20. q. 3. Deceive the Deceiver is it a sin v. 2. n. 20. q. 10 Die of Conceit whether possible v. 2. n. 21. q. 1 Dancing-master or School-master which preferable v. 2. n. 24. q. 13. Divine Idea's the Notion of Omniformity c. v. 2. n. 26. q. 1 Devil of Mascon v. 2. n. 26. q. 3 Deity acknowledg'd and prov'd v. 2. n. 26. q. 9 Devil does he know our thoughts v. 2. n. 26. q. 11 Democritus or Heraclitus which in the right v. 2. n. 27. q. 13 Die why must in the Night your reason v. 2. n. 29. q. 1 Duelling how far lawful v. 3 n. 2. q. 1 Dream whether obliging to Marry v. 3. n. 4. q. 17 Drunken Man whether capable of Marriage v. 3. n. 5. q. 2 Discourses vain and absurd v. 3 n. 12. q. 8 Drunken man how far obnoxious to the Law v. 3. n. 14. q. 2 Despair caused by unkindress of Relations v. 3. n. 14. q. 9 Drunken man how brought to his Senses v. 3. n. 15. q. 9 Divines whether Preaching against all vice v. 3. n. 18 q. 3 Dew of Hermon how it descends on Mount Sion v. 3. n. 18. q. 6 Die than live is it not better v. 3. n. 19. q. 2 Dreams of commit a grievous sin v. 3. n 20. q. 7 Dreams do we think then v. 3. n. 21. q. 3 Devotion how hinder'd by Ignor. v. 3 n. 21. q 10 Drown'd Bodies why they float v. 3. n. 22. q. Devils can they generate v. 3. n. 24. q. 12 Defrauding whether pardon'd without restitution v 3. n. 24 q 14 Devotion what Book you advise me to v. 3. n. 25 q 4 Dan. 5.23 Why Daniel leaves out a word v. 3. n. 25. q. 9 David's heart why it smote him for Saul's garment v. 3. n. 26. q. 1. David's Sin in numbring the People where consists v. 3. n. 27. q. 6 David's speaking in Scripture is it the word of God v. 3. n. 30. q. 4 Debtor and Creditors what a brother must do v. 4. n. 1. q. 3 Dissenters are they Schismaticks v. 4. n. 2. q. 2 Discourse to cry out O God is it sins v. 4. n. 2. q. 9. Dragon is there any such creature v 4. n. 6. q. 5 Dissenters that freely communicate with the Ch. of England v. 4. n. 7. q 4 Delivery of a Gate c. Town of Lymerick c. v. 4. n. 8. q. 1 Dizziness in the Head v. 4. n. 8 q. 8 Dreaming of a Text Preach't on v. 4. n. 16. q 3. Dealing with a secret reserve whether sinful v. 4. n. 16. q. 5 Divines why they begin their Prayers so low v 4. n 19 q. 11 Death if the cause be in the Body onely v. 4. n. 25. q. 2 Death is the cause of it in the Soul or in the Body v. 4. n. 28. q. 7 Dramatique Writers who the best v. 5. n 1 q. 3 Dramatique Professor who the best v 5. n. 2 q. 1 Disciples how come they to know Moses and Elias v. 5. n 4. q. 3 Devils generating a relation of one v. 5. n. 9. q. 3. Defrauding and over-reaching our Brother v. 5. n. 10 q. 1. Different Colours in Clouds the reason for it v. 5. n. 11 q 5 ‖ DIssertation on a State of Virginity 1 Suppl p. 18 Dispute about the Grandeur of Great Britain 1 Suppl p. 21. Description of the City of Rome 2 Suppl p. 3 Dine or to sup whether better 2 Suppl p. 30 †DIssertations of Mr. Burman p. 107 Darmonseus Philosophical Conferences p. 179 Dodwell's Dissertations on St. Irenaeus p. 356 Du Pin's new Bibliotheque of Ecclesiastical Authors containing the History of their Lives the Catalogue Crisis and Chronology of their Works the sum of what they contain a Iudgment upon their Stile and Doctrine with an Enumeration of the different Editions of their Works Tom. 1. of the Authors of the 3 First Ages p. 445. Tom. 2. Of the Authors of the Fourth Age of the Church p. 391. Dury's Treatise of Church Discipline p. 454 Discourses upon the Sciences in which beside the Method of Studying it is taught how we ought to make use of Sciences for the good of the Church with Advice to such as live in Holy Orders p. 411 Discourse of the French Academy p. 420 E. * EArth its Circumference and Thickness v. 1. n. 2. q. 10 Earth whether destroy'd or refin'd v. 1. n. 3. q 4 Earthquakes their causes v. 1. n. 10. q. 5 Experiment about perpetual motion v. 1. n. 10. q. 7 Eels how produced v. 1. n. 17. q. 9 England be happy v. 1. n. 22. q. 9 Essence be really distinguish'd from Existence v. 1. n. 22. q. 13 Estates whether an ensuring office for 'em v. 1. n. 26. q. 4 Exodus 7.33 comp with Ver. 20 v. 1. n. 29. q. 7 Egyptian Magicians Miracles whether real v. 2. n. 1. q. 16 Earth or Sun which moves v. 2. n. 6. q. 9 Eye-sight how best preserved v. 2. n. 14. q. 1 Eunuchs why never troubled with the Gout v. 2. n. 20. q. 7. East-India and African Company one who has a stock v. 2. n. 24. q. 3 Eve did she lose her Beauty by the Fall v. 2. n. 26. q. 13 Eyes shut under water v. 3. n. 9. q. 8 English Nation why the Finest People and yet Ill Singers v. 3. n. 13. q. 12 Earth are its Foundations to continue for ever v. 3. n. 18. q. 5 Experiment about finding out a Thief whether lawful v. 3. n. 22. q. 1 Errors whether they will be tolerated at Iudgment v. 3. n. 24. q. 13 England the most devout why delight no more in singing Psalms v. 3. n. 29 q. 5 English what Language is it v. 3. n. 30 q 3 Empyreal Heaven had it no Begin v. 3. n. 30. q. 11 Eccho its nature v. 4. n. 17. q. 5 Experiment about artificial wind v. 4. n. 22. q. 7 English Satyrist who is the best v. 5. n. 1. q. 2 Eve what she spun v. 5. n. 5. q. 4 Egyptian Talisman their Force and Vertue v. 5. n. 7. q. 1 Epithalamium on a Wedding v. 5. n. 11. q. 7 Eyes of Beans in the Kid why grow downward some years v. 5. n. 14. q. 6 Ephes. 6.12.5 Whether these words are referr'd to all Christians v. 5. n. 17. q. 1 Evil Spirits in what sence do we wrestle with 'em v. 5. n. 17. q. 2. Evil Spirits in what sence the Rulers of darkness v. 5. n. 17. q. 3 Evil Spirits in what sence they are in High Places v. 5. n. 17. q. 4 Evil Spirits how reconcile some Phrases about ' em v.
upon each of his Works and what been said in general upon this occasion there remains now only three things which are much worth our notice He often cites supposititious Writings as if they had been acknowledged by all the World as may be observ'd by the Passage of St. Peters Sermon which hath been a little before related and by another of St. Pauls which seems to be taken from the Book of his Voyages upon which see Eusebius and St. Ierom. This may make People believe that the great Reading of this Learned Man had not refined his Judgment for in fine there is no need of being a great Scholar to perceive what he cites resembles not the Style of the Apostles neither is it conformable to their Principles It cannot be doubted but that they believed the God whom the Iews adored was the true God Creator of Heaven and Earth and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who testifies it himself Neither can the Iews be accused of having worship'd Angels Months and Moons with any manner of Probability and the reason which the Author of St. Peters Sermon brings for it is so ridiculous that it can impose upon no body who is not very willing to be deceived It is true that some Learned Men have otherwise expounded this Accusation which this Author makes against the Iews but it 's plain by the Sequel that he understood it more simply than they do Howbeit this Book being visibly supposititious Origen acted much more prudently than his Master seeing he had Heracleon a Valentinian to refute who drew Consequences against the Old Testament from these pretended words of St. Peter he begins thus It would be very proper to examine whether this Book was really St. Peters or if it were not wholly supposititious and if not if any thing was not added to it after which he shews that the Iews adored the Creator of the World But it was the Custom of several of the Ancients to make use of all sorts of Reasons and Books to perswade what they had a mind to If it was so in our time Men would be accused immediately of Simplicity or of Falshood but each Age hath its Customs However its certain that Rules of sound Sense have always been the same and it s not less true that great Learning does not render the Mind more just according to the famous Maxim of Heraclitus which Clement relates amongst his Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clement also used to interpret Scripture allegorically without rendering his Allegories probable as the Ancients commonly did We may see what Mr. Huet says of the Origin of Allegories in his Origeniana l. 2. c. 2. Qu. 14. But if what Clement saith be read carefully in the fifth Book of his Stromates where he treats of it more at large one may easily perceive that what induced him chiefly to believe the Scripture was full thereof was that the Egyptians and Greeks had accustomed themselves to hide the Secrets of their Philosophy under Emblems and Fables It is true that the Iews were fallen into this Opinion before the coming of Jesus Christ. It is true also that in the most distant times this Nation expressed it self not only by dark words but symbolick Actions as appears by divers places of the Old Testament Notwithstanding there is no Example by which it's apparent that the Sacred Authors were willing to hide the Tenets of the Jewish Religion but on the contrary they exposed them very clearly and simply There are but few places of the History of the beginning of the World which may be turned into an Allegory with any probability and those which may only regard some Circumstances which signifie nothing in respect to the Foundation of the History and belong in no wise to the Worship of God or good Manners or Tenets without which they could not serve God nor be honest Men according to the Law In the rest of all the History of the Hebrews nothing appears which in the least resembles an Allegory all is simple and easie to be apprehended which makes us believe that those who writ it were in no wise Allegorists and that if there was any thing in the most ancient Events of the History of Mankind which may be understood that way the Hebrews have followed this turn only because the Tradition or the Memorials which they copied after were thus express'd We do not see that they amused themselves with Philosophy or gave any opinions of Physicks either clearly or obscurely and the places where Philo strives to find Philosophical Tenets are wrested after so violent a manner that there is no Person who perceives not that the Sacred Authors never thought upon what he makes them to say Also if we reflect upon the origin of Allegories amongst the Pagans it will appear that they are but of a late date and when Philosophers would give a Reason for Fables or the ancient Histories of the Gods that is to say to save the Honour of their most ancient Historians who were accused of having absurd Ideas of Nature as Excellent as that of the Gods according to their Idea of it Therefore it was necessary to make those believe whom these scandalous Histories offended that the Poets thought quite another thing than what they said and thence comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies quite another thing than what is meant and is what is properly call'd Allegory It may be found out by reading of three Works lately Printed at Amsterdam and where mention is made in the 7th Tome of the Universal Bibleothick p. 109. Thus Histories amongst the Grecians were turn'd into Allegories fearing it should be thought that the Gods of Greece were only corrupted Men. The Iews who never applied themselves to the study of Criticks and Philosophy were no sooner amongst the Grecians but they found this Method of Expounding Religion and used it to explain the Sacred Books after a manner more conformable to the Opinion of the Pagans as is plain by the Example of Philo who Expounds all the Old Testament like a Platonick They even so much alter'd the Text that they expounded allegorically not only the places which might have any difficulty but also the most clear and simple without excepting even those that concern Manners which being literally understood include excellent Directions for the conduct of Life nor the most simple Histories whence most useful Instructions may be drawn without searching any other sense but that which offers it self to the mind Philo is full of such Examples The Christians afterwards imitated the Jews and were not satisfied to interpret allegorically the Old Testament but did the like concerning the New although neither Jesus Christ nor the Apostles proposed no Doctrin after an emblematick Manner which they expounded not clearly enough themselves to take away the trouble of seeking for the Sense in having recourse to Allegories which have nothing plain in them For in fine it must be granted that according to this
Method though the Sacred Authors had said something different or even quite contrary to what they did if we would we might find a Sense equally fine as those who examin will immediately be sensible of it Also the Heathens themselves who were the Inventers of this strange manner of Interpreting ancient Books could not suffer that Christians should use it as the Christians likewise in their turn laughed at the forc'd Interpretations of Pagans Some Heathens also more ingenious than the rest thought them ridiculous The Christians and Jews had done much better certainly to apply themselves to the Letter than to make use of so unstable a Method to defend the Scripture against the Heathens 3. Though with reason we may treat as erroneous divers Opinions of Clement of Alexandria yet if we observe each particular one which we had and that none this day holds he shall Remark that there are some which are look'd upon as Erroneous only because the opposite Sentiments are established I know not how in most Schools though there have been no new discoveries made thereon so soon as any famous Person maintained a Tenet without being contradicted by People of an equal Reputation or Authority or even without any one's opposing it this Tenet established it self so well in the minds of Persons that Men insensibly accustom'd themselves to look upon the contrary Opinion as on Error without knowing for what Opinions are often introduced like Customs that owe their beginning to some few Persons which others imitate They in time so well possess the minds of Men that all others except those which agree to it seem ridiculous A Garment which is seen but seldom looks strangely though it were in use in times past it is even so with an Opinion which grows old it displeaseth because none still receives it For Example Clement believed that the Angels had a Body and that also was the Opinion of Origen and of most of the Fathers Yet 't is now treated as an Error without any reason for though Scripture teacheth us that Spirits have neither flesh nor bone and that Angels are Intelligences it saith no where that they are not cloathed with any body There has been since no Revelation upon this matter nor no convincing Reason discovered which can perswade us of the contrary Yet it is commonly said that it is an Error because Scholastick Doctors maintain it to be so I confess that the Fathers who gave bodies to Angels have not brought any evident Reason to prove their thought But all that could be thence concluded is that they had affirmed a thing which they know no more of than we do so that it was better to continue in suspence and assert nothing of a Subject which was equally unknown to us This Suspension was not 't is true accommodated to Dogmaticks who are not very easie to grant that they are ignorant of any thing and who believe they are wise enough to determin speedily upon all sorts of Questions Indeed without that we cannot form a System so complete as we ought to pass for Learned Men and it would be a shameful thing to grant that upon each Article a thousand things may be asked upon which nothing could be answered if we should say only what we know There may be an Application made of this same Principle on divers other Tenets of Clement upon which it would be better to confess simply one 's Ignorance than to condemn Sentiments concerning which we have no good Information Neither have these Opinions hindred some Ancients from rendring him many Praises Eusebius saith His Books are full of useful Learning St. Ierom says That he composed very fine Works full of Learning and Eloquence and taken both from holy Scripture and profane Authors and elsewhere Clement saith he Presbyter of the Church of Alexandria the most Learned of our Authors in my Iudgment hath made eight Books of Stromates as many Hypotyposes a Book against Pagans and three Volumes Entituled The Paedagogue What is there in his Books that is not full of knowledge and drawn from the depths of Philosophy Cyril of Alexandria assures us in his 6th and 7th Books against Iulian That he was a Man of admirable knowledge who had throughly searched the Grecian Learning with such an Exactness that few before him arrived at Theodoret saith That this holy Man surpassed all others in the extent of his knowledge It is easie to form an Idea of the Doctrin of Clement upon what has been already said It is necessary only to add a word of this Edition two Defects may be observed in it one of which is common to it with several other Editions of the Books of the Ancients and the other is particular to it Concerning the first one may easily remark that the Editions where there are no Distinctions nor Lines as the way of speaking is are destitute of one thing which appears not of Consequence in it self but is very useful for the Understanding of what is read This beginning of a new Line serves for an Admonition to the Reader who in casting simply his Eyes on a Page sees how many Arguments or Subjects it is filled with otherwise this want of Distinction in some degree confounds the Mind and makes more attention requisite to understand what we readhaond that we do not search for Connections where there are none or not to confound two Arguments in one But one ought to endeavour to diminish as much as possible the trouble of the Reader who has too much already to understand the very things The Lines in some respects perform the same effect as the Distinction of Chapters which cannot be neglected without Confusion It is true that the Ancients neglected often to divide their Books or Discourses into certain parts but if we take notice we shall find this negligence was because there was not sufficient Order in several of their writings It was easier to pass from one Subject to another by reason of some slight reference which was among them or to throw confusedly a heap of Thoughts upon Paper than to pass them into a certain Order As it would be easier to lay in one mass the Materials of an House than to dispose them each in their proper Place If any one has a mind to have examples of Books without Order he may only cast his Eye upon Seneca or Tertullian who both said very enthusiastically whatsoever came into their Minds without almost any idea of Order which they had a design to follow If these Authors were Printed dividing their Arguments by a Line their meaning could be much better understood The other fault which those who have the care of the Editions of ancient Authors commit very often is that they do not distinguish with divers Characters the Citations from the words of the Author so that if great attention is not given to what is read that which is attributed to one Author may belong to another This is what happned