the Scriptures to have given a Specimen of these following Particulars towards the Advancement of Scripture-learning towards which I am like to bequeath my Studies and Collections unto such a School both as to my printed and written books An exact version or Translation of the Original Scriptures word for word without any human alterations or Supplements additions or Substractions with instances in several places what wrong is done unto the word of God and how the Translators were Malignly influenced upon by some thereby to serve Partial designs and Carnal ends and Corrupt interests of Churches and States Those who may have a call to and for such a work should be eminently gifted and graced fitted and furnished by Jehovah Aelohim for such a work Such as would be Right Translators of the Bible they must be God-taught-ones very Humble and mortifyed very Skilful in the original Language Experienced believers and Growing Saints not wedded to privat interests nor swayed by a Partial Spirit such as are much and mighty with a God hearing prayer spiritual wrestlers and powerful prevailers through Christs intercession with Him having Free converse and Distinct Communion with the Father Son and Holy Spirit It is a reproach to the Protestant Cause that one of the best Translations that we have of the Bible in an interlineary we have received from a Popish hand what pen can write down all the losses which the precious Souls of the Common sort of people do Sustain by the many useful mysteries of the Christian Religion which are hid from them for want of This How much has the Cause of Christ Suffered even from a Preaching Ministry by a pertinacious adhering to a Corrupt Translation whilst they let go if they understand it That proper significancy of the Original words and phrases which doe best set out the great Truths and things of the Christian religion and do most commend themselves to the knowledg Faith and Experience of Spiritual Discerners with what singular endowments they should be qualifyed who are employed in such an undertaking is sooner set dowâ—â—â— writing then to be found as yet actually given to men by the Holy Spirit my own unfitness and inability I do readily acknowledg It is honour enough for me to Commend the work to others and to quicken them up by the Prayers of â—iâ—h to wrestle with the Lord for larger pourings down of his Spirit for suâ—â— an End O that I might live to see the Day when Such Eminently called ones might come forth more clothed with that Spirit An Hebrew Grammar and Lexicon should be composed out of the Holy Scriptures and not these Scriptures wrested and wryed to speak conformably to Grammars and Lexicons of Traditionary humane Composure All being to be kept within the Confines and borders of Original True Scripture and of Primitive pure nature of what use the Cognation of Languages would be in this might be considered For the Promoting of this such as have laid up any store or prepared any Materials concerning that which Jehovah Aelohim hath put into his written word and into Created Beings about Letters their figure name Power or force in Sound and Pronunciation Vowels Consonants Syllableâ— words sentences accents punctations distinguishing of Sentences Orthoepy or right Speaking with the instruments of Pronunciation which have so many wonderful secrets and hidden Mysteries both in Nature and in grace by which we communicate the Conceptions of our Heart and mind Orthography or Right writing Parts of speech in their several Proprieties particularly as to the verbs in the distinct significancy of their several Conjugations and as to the verbal Participles Syntax or Construction The only one Primary Original meaning of every Hebrew root the â—ap and Juice of which peculiar significancy should run into all the deviate branches not so making one and the same Word to signify so many various and contrary things To add no more now I am heartily thankful for what we have already hereof but it hath not as yet received its perfecting Advance This and what else might be further named I leave to the Serious and judicious to meditate upon The Lord give understanding herein Jehovah will give Wisdom out of his mouth Knowledg and understanding he hath hiddenly laid up essential Wisdom to the upright Wisdom shall enter into their Heart and Knowledg shall be sweat unto their Soul Of Hebrew Alphabet and Letters their Number and order of vowels Consonants Syllables Words Sentences Notes of Distinction and of Punctation in Sentences the Art and Science of Right speaking Right writing with their mutual Corresponding of the Parts of Speech of Etymologie or Analogy and somwhat of Syntax or of Construction JEhovah (s) Psal 139. 1 2 4 14. Thou hast searched me and Known Thou understandest my Familiar thought afar off when the speech not in my Tongue lo Jehovah Thou knowest it All. I will confess thee for that Fearfully marvellously made am I marvellous thy works and my soul knoweth very well Adam was made a speaking Creature whereby he was separated from and excelling of all others the Glorious Holy Angels only excepted His (t) Psal 16. 9. 30. 12. compare Act. 2. 26. Psa 57. 8 9. Gen. 49. 6. Soul and tongue were his Glory Jehovah Aelohim could have glorifyed and injoyed himself in himself though no Creature had been spoken into a Being or seeing he would give an Essence and Existence to a World He could have made all his Creatures dumb but his will and pleasure was for the exalting of himself and the extolling of his Name to create Angels and men such noble Beings as had Rational Souls intelligent minds and were voluntary Free Agents having Hearts and Judgments to conceive and understand and Tongues and other Instruments of speech wherewith to offer and bring forth those inward Conceptions vocally and so to be the tongued Trumpeters of the whole Creation and thereby to sound forth the high Praises of his Wisdom and Power in so Excelling and Perfect a Work as this goodly beautious World not only to behold it with their Eyes and to admire it in their Meditations but also by Angelical and Human voice to confess it with their Mouths How great a Mystery This is both in Nature in institution and in grace How notions of truths and of things have their Conception Apprehension clear and distinct Perception speculative Reasoning Practical judging comparing and considering Resolving and ultimate dictating how they have Assent or Dissent in the Heart and mind of Intelligent Creatures How these being Formed there are uttered and communicated to the other instruments of speech how brought forth into words and sentences by these how conveighed by voice to the Ear of another how received by the Ears of others how understood by hearing whither carryed from the ear How these come to be written in such a multitude of expressions and phrases where the Letters are so few how written words are discerned and understood by
as in musick there is a brve and a long note the third is larger yet containing the perfect member of a Sentence and so as in musick has more of length or quantity the last doth bring the whole Sentence to a full Period and is the perfecting and filling up of all the parts and Members of it like as in Musick Natural there are distinct Pauses or Rests which have shorter or longer intermissions and cessations of sound Breve-Rest or long Rest according to the measures and Proportions of time wherein natural Organs and the breathing faculty should mutually direct and help each other as to the manner of Pronunciation that we be neither too much Minim nor too much Maxim we should know how to keep Time and give every particular note of distinction its due measure without making it either longer or shorter than it ought to be Musitians do this by a Constant motion of the hand or Foot or imagination down and up successively and equally Divided every down and up being called a Time measure-note or Time-note the lively pulses in our own arteries sinnews and veines and the little minutes of a steady going watch or Pendulum do help somewhat to measure this motion in like manner is it applicable to the Notes of distinction for pointing of Sentences and look as in Musick where two Minim-Rests do stand together in common Time there it may be Supposed that the First belongs to the Foregoing Time and the second to the Time following thus is it useful in pointing the Sentences to know thereby the meaning of words relating to the Context as they have an Eye to what doth go before or to what doth follow after or to both and the Musitians have a mark or Arch commonly set at the end of a Song or Lesson to signify the close or Conclusion These things have foundation in Nature that the Spirit and Soul in breathing when tired out by long speech may resume and recover its forces and strength by due spaces and pauses and that the Oration and Sentence may thereby be rendred the more perspicuous and intelligible Oration or Speech I mean that which is in a perfect Sentence compleat in all its parts and members being as to the present matter in hand a distinct complexion of Hebrew words or a comprehending or agreement of such words in a Sentence till the Sentence be brought to a just period or conclusion whereby the opinion judgment or sentence of the mind is brought forth in word or in writing which complexion is sometimes drawn out into more length at other times brought into a less shortness Therefore the nature of the thing itself doth shew the necessariness and usefulness of distinctions which is to be denoted by certain points according as the parts of the Sentence are imperfect or the whole of it is perfect so that those Hebrew punctations and Accentuations which do evidently point out these Particulars must be acknowledged as natural and Essential to the right understanding of Scripture Sentences in the Hebrew Tongue the (v) 1 Sam. 18. 18. Scripture in the Margin may be taken for an instance as also the 111 Psal where every distinct point of a Sentence doth begin with a second letter according to the order of the Hebrew Alphabet whereby this Doctrine of Punctations is commended and preserved and secured in the very nature of the Letters which is note-worthy The same has a like remark set upon it in the 112 Psalm as observable The Book of the Proverbs is full of Distinct Sentences where the members of the Sentences do Naturally distinguish themselves either by the comparison similitude opposition or such like Even instruments of musick as well as the voice of the musician has * 1 Cor. 14. 7 8. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Lev. 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Distinction not only for sound in Tunes in Notes as opposed to union nor only for time but also for the parts of the Song The Holy Scriptures are distinguished into its several Sections the word of truth must be Rightly cut as the Dissecting of the offering was to be into the Natural pieces and parts thereof which did figure the office and work of a Minister of Christ in Church Assemblies It might not be a confused handling or a disordered mangling but it must be the Natural parts both in reading and interpreting The Pronunciation and the reading †Neh. 8. 7 8. Lev. 24. 12. Job 23. 12. Det. 27. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Piel expressit verbis aut characteribus should be according to the writing as the Mouth of Jehovah had spoken it and as it is written in Characters words and Sentences How monstrous therefore was that evil invented fiction of those Hebrews who were so bold as to affirm that Jehovah Aelohim spake the ten words or commands at one moment of time all and every of the letters Syllables Words sentences in one breath without any interspiration pause or distinction as if it had all of it been but only one continued word whereas how could it be understood if it were not uttered distinctly and if it were not understood how could it be obeyed How could it be said that Aelohim spake all those ‖ Exod. 20. 1. 34. 27 28. Deut. 10. 4. words and that Moses wrote words the ten words if they had been all but one such confused Indistinct word which expression of words is used for whole sentences or commands as Paul saith elsewhere * Gal. 5. 14. one word when there were divers words in it and when he rehearsed the sum of all the Commandments of the Duties of man towards his neighbour †Mar. 7. 13. Mat. 15. 6. what also in one place is called the word of God in another place is called the commandment of God and this must be after the tenour rather over or upon the Mouth so is the Hebrew of these same words The Greek of the New Testament doth also give us further light in this Subject-Matter ‖ Luk. 4. 17s Act. 8. 32. Heb. 2. 6. 4. 4. 5. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 6. Rom. 10. 18. Heb. 3. 7. Mat. 21. 13. John 8. 17. Mat. 1. 22. Mat. 2. 17. Mark 12. 26. Act. 1. 20. 13. 33. Col. 3. 16. where we may meet with words that do signifie and set out sometimes an whole Book or Psalm at other times an whole entire matter treated of a comprehension or complexion a certain text or versicle of Scripture an intire sentence or part of a sentence A part of Scripture is mentioned where neither the Penman of that Book is named nor the particular place in that Book or the holy Spirit the Inspirer and Inditer is named or such a phrase is made use of as is mentioned Indefinitly or in general terms it is written or In the law it is written or a prophet is Indefinitely spoken of but not particularly named or their Name is expresed We should be so well versed in Scripture so familiarly acquainted with it It should so Indwel in us richly In all wisdom that assoon as any sentence or member of a sentence or part of the distinction of a member is spoken of
has such a chill and coldness in it as makes it sluggish and unapt to move it self whence proceeds a stutting which is usually the cause of Fools Ideots naturals as they are called who have some such impediment in their speech and in others a moderate use of wine with its heat moistness doth help in speaking such is the a nature of pure wine that it doth manifest its goodness by Song 7. 9. Prov. 23. 31. Exod. 4. 10-16 Job 11. 2. Psal 140. 11 Ezek. 3. 5 6 Mark 7. 32 33 34 35. its Effects for it moveth and springeth in the Cup whereby it doth discover it self to be right natural generous wine in its going walking moving it self in rightnesses in thâ— Cup causing the lips of those who are sleepy to speak it gives utterance to the Lips when the Tongue was slow and as it were sleepy before as sleepy men when they speak it is with some Clogg upon their Tongue for want of Spirits heat and quickness They make some offers to speak but at the first are not so able till they recover their Tongues who are Subject to stutting but the more the Tongue is moved the more it heateth motion generating Heat In some others over-moistness may be a cause as when Men are drunk they utter not words with that distinctness the Spirits and other parts of the tongue are drowned for a time though they would be talkative In other some the too much (b) Lam. 4. 4. Psal 22. 15. 137. 6. dryness of the tongue doth hinder free articulating of Sounds as when the tongue even cleaveth to the roof of the Mouth so it is now and then in scorching feavers hence it is that Cholerick men are often Stammerers in speaking they being more dry although another reason there may be of this in such from over-praecipitancy when words in heat and in haste do press so fast to get out that they have not vent speedy enough and so do obstruct their own passage like a great throng of people at a narrow door who by over-hastening to get out do hinder one another Whatever be the causes this has been the case of some very wise holy great and good men such was Moses who yet was not a man of lips or of words he was not eloquent but of an heavy mouth and of an heavy tongue slow in speech troubled or mussled in utterance not so easily understandable by Hearers He is Jehovah who maketh the mouth of Man who maketh the Dumb who is with the Mouth and who taught Moses what he should speak who gave to Aaron the Levite Moses's brother ability of utterance so that speaking he could speak speak eloquently readily Moses was to speak to Aaron and to put the words into Aarons mouth Jehovah promised to be with Moses's mouth and with Aarons mouth which Aaron was to speak for Moses unto the people who he even he should be to Moses for a Mouth The Hebrews in their Canons allowed no Priest to lift up his hands to bless the people who stammered or lisped or was of an heavy Mouth or Tongue they teck on nine blemishes in the mouth which disabled a Priest for the discharge of that Office whatever it be as to that case it is (c) Lev. 21. 16 17-24 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 6 7. Tit. 1. 7 8 â— Acts 14. 1â— 2 Cor. 1â— 1â— Ephes 6. 19 20. Col. 4. 3 4. exprest in the Typical Law that the Priest who was to execute that Function was to be unblemished in 12 particulars specityed besides a general clause added to that Enumeration which intimated that any other notorious great blemish though unnamed did disinable such for the actual exercise of that calling O how many are the Gifts and graces of body of Mind that are requisite in the Ministers of Christ which doth direct in the choice of young Sons that they be eloquent ones In the case of Paul and Barnabas Barnabas had more of a Faculty to be a Leader in speaking of readier utterance to deliver a Message than Paul who by some Expressions doth acknowledg that he had not naturally that Freedom of speech that Liberty of bringing forth into words the conceptions of his Minâ— Thus useful are apt Instruments of speech whence (d) Esa 66. 18. Dan. 3. 4 7 29. 4. 1. 5. 19. 6. 25. 7. 14. Zach. 8. 23. Rom. 14. 11. Esa 45. 23. Phil. 2. 11. Revel 5. 9. 7. 9. 10. 11. 11. 9 13. 7. 14. 6. 17. 15. Prov. 17. 20. 18. 21. 21. 23. Esa 3. 8. Jer. 9. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 18. Prov. 10. 20 21. 12. 18. 15. 2. Song 4. 11. Esa 50. 4. Eccl. 10. 11. Esa 57. 19. Heb. 13. 15. Hos 14. 2. Prov. 12. 14. 13. 2. 18. 20 21. Ezek. 3. 5 6. Gen. 11. 1 6. 10. 5 20 31. Esth 1. 22. 3. 12. 8. 9. Acts 10. 46. 19. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 10 28 30. 14. 4 5 6 13 18 19 21 22 23 27 39. Esa 28. 11. Mar. 16. 17. Acts 2. 4 6 8 11. 21. 40. 1. 19. Mat. 26. 73. Mar. 14. 70. a tongue and tongues are put in some Scriptures for words and speeches which are brought forth with the tongue An Eloquent tongue in the Teacher is well adapted to instruct the hearers This is to be Lord of the tongue and such words are the Fruit of the tongue that which the tongue doth bring forth Thus is the Tongue or Lip put for an Iâ—iom or Proper form of speech which was one in the begining but was afterwards multiplyed and confounded for the sin of the Builders of Babel-tower hence the Phrases of new Tongues other tongues our own tongue hence also a Language is set out by (e) Esa 19. 18. Gen. 11. 1 6 7 9. 1 Cor. 14. 21. Esa 28. 11. Ezek. 3. 5 6. Job 12. 20. 13. 6. 15. 6. Psal 40. 9 10. 63. 3. Prov. 10. 13 19 21 32. 14. 3. 15. 7. 16. 10 23 30. 17. 7. 18. 7. 24. 28. 26. 24. Eccles 10. 12. Isa 29. 13. Matth. 15. 8. Mark 7. 6. Zeph. 3. 9. Mal. 2. 6 7. a Lip which is another Instrument of speech and the Lip is used in several Scriptures for words and Speeches brought forth and uttered by the Lips By this an Intelligent Discerning Reader may see how much there is in Letters words and Pronounciation Another great damage by not speaking and writing of Letters vowels Consonants and words aright is that in many Scriptures many letters and Sillabical adjections are counted insignificant as if they stood only as Expletives to fill up a room or for Euphonies sake to make the better smoother and pleasanter sound such they make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence their bold affirmations of Redundant as also of Deficient letters whereas it is a perfect word to which we may not add and
from which we may not substract I shall cull out two compound Pronoun Affixes ci and mo one of these Letters jod in ci not one of which Christ would have (f) Matt. 5. 18. to fail which common Grammarians Translators and Interpreters do often misjudg to be altogether insignificant whereby much sweet Edifyingness of Experimental Scripture is quite lost to a vulgar reader When the Psalmist was in colloquie or conference with his own self calling (g) Psa 103. 1 3. 4 5. upon his soul and all his inward parts to bless Jehovah as for other things so particularly and especially for these he thus expresseth it Bless him O my Soul it is He who pardoningly-sparing All-thy-my iniquities who healing all thy-my-diseases who redeeming from the corrupting pit thy-my-lives who crowning thee-me with mercy and tender pities He will renew as an Eagle thy-my youths thy iniquities are my iniquities and my iniquities are thy iniquities thy Diseases are my Diseases and my Diseases are thy Diseases thy life and lives is my life and lives and my life and lives is thy life and lives Thy being crowned with mercy and tender pities is my being crowned with mercy and tender pities and my being crowned with mercy and tender pities is thy being crowned with mercy and tender pities Thy youths being renewed as an Eagle is my youths being renewed as an Eagle and my youths being renewed as an Eagle is thy youths being renewed as an Eagle and shouldst not thou and I therefore be blessing of this Jehovah are not every all of these mercy good to thee and to me and to our whole Man Thus in (h) Ps 116. 7. another Psalm Return thou O my soul unto thy-my-Rests For Jehovah hath bounteously-rewarded over thee-me all good rests are injoyable in him thy rests are my rests and my rests are thy rests Jehovahs bounteously rewarding thee is his bounteously rewarding me his bounteously rewarding me is his bounteously rewarding thee In this compound Pronoun-Affix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caph this doth signify the second Person singular thee thy thine being substituted in the room of Attah thou thee thy or thine â—â— Jod is the Affix or Suffix of the First Person singular importing me my mine being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me my or mine Both these put together do signify thy my c. when alone without caph as in Melchizedech Psal 110. 4. is my my King of Righteousness or King of my righteousness which doth set out the office and work of faith in applying of Christs imputed righteousness for justification I leave other places to the Holy Spirits teaching and to the observation and experience of the Intelligent In like manner have they dealt with that other Compouâ—d Pronoun Affix or Suffix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem is the Pronoun Affix or Suffix of the third Person plural Masculin this when it doth stand a single termination added at the end of a word it doth signify Them their or theirs and is a letter taken out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They them their or theirs the Pronoun of the third Person Plural Masculin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Affix or Suffix of the third Person singular Masculin when a Termination put after a word importing him his c. which is taken and put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he him or his the Pronoun of the third person singular Masculin so that these two pronoun suffixes at the ends of words do differ as much as Plural and singular that is as much as one single individual person or more persons than one Take some Scripture Examples of this which will more clear it up and open the great usefulness of this discovery In (i) Psa 2. 3. Acts 4. 25 26 27 28. Luk. 1â— 14 27. 1 â—oh 5. 10. Joh. 3. 3 -36. 5. 23. the second Psalm both Jews and Gentiles are in a tumultuous rage peoples are muttering Kings of the Earth are setting themselves and Princes are plotting together and all against Jehovah the Father and against his Christ his holy Child Jesus whom he has anointed and they are brought in as saying and resolving we will break Those-Their-His bands the Bands of Father Son and holy Spirit all of them jointly together and the bands of the Son of Christ in special and we will cast from us Their-His-Cords the Cords of Father Son and holy Spirit and his Cords Christs cords particularly we will not be held in subjection under him we will not have him to reign over us we are resolved upon this not to give unto the Mashiach the Anointed One these signs of Homage This doth set out the sinningness of the sin of unbelief which doth reject the only remedy of Salvation by Christ in a way of believing which will not obey Christs laws nor receive the witness of God the father concerning his Son and thereby hath made God a liar because they believe not the Record that God gave of his Son and so by not honouring of the Son they do not honour the Father who sent him Thus in the (k) Psa 11. 7. 2 Cor. 13. 14. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Psa 11. 4 5 6. 34. 15 16. 33. 18. Job 3â— 7. 1 Pet. 3. 12. Eleventh Psalm For the righteous or just Jehovah righteousnesses hath loved The Right one they will or shall view Their-his-Faces The Faces of the Father of the Son and of the holy Spirit have very favourable aspects towards him towards every such one who is right or a righteous one They will each of them and every one of them all jointly and each distinctly will accept the Person and Service of such a one and plead his Cause he presenting himself and his case before them and orderly applying himself to each and keeping up a way of special communion with All and every one of these three Subsistences in the All-glorious one Jehovah-Essence when he doth solemnly appeal to them for Right referring his just cause or the Cause of others of the Lords people to them for righteous Judgment in their Court in Heaven against any false Accusers perjured witnesses or unjust Judges who would condemn him in the corrupted Courts of men And more especially the Faces of the Son of God of the Lord Jesus Christ who is a Mediator Advocate and Surety by Office in whose name For whose sake and by whose satisfaction and intercession they do supplicate for grace who has a Propriety in such a Righteous one which Propriety is the ground of his care and whose Interest it is to look after his own So that for want of opening of this in the Translation some of the most high Heavenly and holy mysteries of the whole Christian Religion do lye hid from a Common understanding The one is Three subsistences of Father Son and holy Spirit in one Jehovah-Essence and the way of an Experienced believers orderly distinct
to see the goodness of Iehovah in the land of the living which doth too much imprison the sense and confine it to that one particular which is not the weightiest neither For that expression except I had believed this doth take in all the experimental cases mentioned in that psalm except I had believed I had been afraid of men when they made battle against me to eat my flesh I had dreaded my distressers and my enemies my heart had been afraid when a pitched Host pitched against me when war rose up against me except he had believed his heart had not been confirmed and strong waiting and expecting when he was banished and driven from the house of Jehovah where he longed to sit all the dayes of his life to view in the pleasantness of Jehovah and to enquire in his Palace except he had believed this what should he have done in the day of evil how could he in such a case have been confident that Jehovah would keep him privily in His pavilion that he would keep him secret in the secret of his Tent and that he would exalt him on a Rock and that his head should be lifted up above his enemies round about him that he should Sacrifice in his Tent Sacrifices of shouting and sing Psalms to Jehovah except he had believed this how could he have lived to his comfort and Satisfaction that though his Father and his Mother would forsake him yet Jehovah would not leave nor forsake him but be his Saviour and gather him except he had believed this how could he have kept an even frame of spirit when he had so many envyers when he was in such danger to be given to the Soul to the will and lust of his Distressers For witnesses of Falshood did stand up against him and the man who breathed violent wrong how injuriously therefore do they charge the Scriptures as if they were no perfect Rule because of such imperfect Speeches as they miscal them whereas this Psalm has the greater Fulness and more Perfection by this means as has been shewn In (q) Psa 109. 4. the one hundredth and ninth Psalm For my love they my slanderous enemies are adversaries to me and I give my self to Prayer here the Translators put in four words of their own which are Give my self to whereas the original is And I Prayer this doth set out one singular truth Duty grace and experience concerning prayer for besides the Several Passages in this Psalm to which it doth relate and concerning which it doth afford a choice either Prevention or remedy as to heart-akes Soul-sicknesses and bodily ailes it doth contain in it An excellent Directory for Prayer when a Believer under such trying cases is at prayer he should be All prayer his whole man should be all ingaged in prayer he should go to Jehovah in Prayer to Jehovah the father to Jehovah the Son to Christ as Mediator to Jehovah the holy spirit to a proper word and to suitable promises in prayer he should see that Graces in their places be acted in prayer he should pray in prayer thus Prayer should be prayer prayer well filled up How much beyond the Translator's-Supplement would this Scripture-expression lead an experienced beleiver Take an instance in the New Testament When the Mother of Zebedees Children came unto Christ desiring a certain thing of Him even to grant that those her two Sons whom she brought along with her to him might sit the one on his Right hand and the other on his Left in His Kingdom one part of Christ's answer was (r) Mat. 20. 23. that to sit on his Right hand and on his Left was not his to give but the Translators put in of their own It shall be given to them these five or six words they add for whom it is prepared of my father If an ignorant Teacher of an ignorant People were to raise Doctrines from this clause they were like to be these two One that to Sit on Christs right hand and on his left is not Christs to give The other that to Sit on Christs right hand and on his left shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of Christs Father These two seem very fairly rightly drawn from the words as translated in English and yet the former of these two is a False Doctrine For it is Christs to give as other (s) Rev. 3. 21. John 5. 22. 27. 13. 3. 17. 2. Scriptures do convincingly prove he has commissioned Power to grant unto him who overcoming to Sit with him in his Throne The Father hath committed All judgment unto the Son he hath given Christ authority to execute judgment The Father gave All things into Christs hands he gave Christ power over all flesh All authoritative power in heaven and in Earth was given unto Christ The Translation therefore should have run thus To Sit from my Rights and from my lefts the Plural Number in both takes in hands Arms sides c. not is it mine to give But or except or save to them it is prepared of my Father Christs it was to give but to such as were expressed in his Commission whom the Fathers purpose was to honour with such a Priviledg Though these and such like Supplements of men by which they pretend they would fill up the Sence be printed in lesser Characters in many Bibles yet not in All English Bibles and where they are printed in lesser Letters yet scarce one of many scores doth take any notice of this to exercise practical judgment about it and to compare Spirituals with Spirituals concerning it As for what doth concern the Right pointing of Sentences and distinguishing of those Sentences by Punctations and Accentuations This is not a meer humane invention but a God-inspired institution For if these be taken away how many blasphemies would Ignorance and malice quickly run into consider that Passage (t) Psal 5. 4. in the Fifth Psalm If a full Period be placed there where there is but a Comma or a Colon would it not be Blasphemy to make a full stop to these words Thou art not A God and so to read no further whereas it must be otherwise pointed For Thou not Ael or the mighty Almighty one A God delighting wickedness The Evil shall not sojourn thee Thus he who will read to the Period finds excelling sence in this choice Scripture To have a Distinction of a Sentence into certain members of it is natural and significant that there may be just spaces alloted both for due breathing and for right understanding the moderating of the respireing Faculty giveth both a Grace to the speech and a light to the apprehension of what is spoken The shortest point in a Sentence leaveth such a space as the ordinary pulse and measure of time is in musick yet so as that what doth follow do quickly Succeed after the breath is drawn in the next to this has a longer and larger respiration
we should know it that it is a Scripture-Testimonie or Scripture-phrase although the particular Book Place sentence or clause be not expressed There are some Accents in the Hebrew which some do call King-Accents because they do posess the Chief Stations and do most distinguish the sentences called pauses and Distinctive-Accents * Soph-pasuk Eccles 12. 13. Acts 8. 32. that which puts an end of the sentence and is the period of it they express by two words the former of them doth signifie An End and is so taken in several Scriptures particularly in the closing up of that Book of Solomons called Ecclesiastes as the pause at the ending of it an End of all this word hath been heard or we will hear this same Aelohim fear thou and those commandments of his keep thou for this All that Adam Because Al-that-work these Aelohim will bring in-judgment over all that is hidden If good and If evil and the other word which is translated place of Scripture in a passage of the Acts of the Apostles is retained in the Syriac denoting a cessation as when one doth cease to read and doth shut the book It puts an end to the section or sentence of a Scripture when the reader puts a stop or makes a pause Hence the Hebrews do call these Distinctive Accents †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a name which has its meaningof Tasts or Relishes because to a right judging-spiritual discerner they do indicate and discover what the nature and sense of every speech is as the palat doth judg of meat by the Tast and Relish of it Those who would find out more of this kind of Hebrew Learning let them industriously dig deep to come at Hebrew roots in their proper significance and apply themselves * Joh. 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. unto the holy Spirit for teaching as others have done In the supplies of which Good Spirit whose office and work it is from the Father and from his Son Christ to lead into all truth and to anoint with such a spiritual Unction whereby they may know all things the writer and composer of these few sheets doth intend if life and liberty be continued to set about the Practical part of this Science of Sciences and Art of Arts as any young hopeful sons and Disciples shall be willingnesses in the day Christs Power The method and mode of Arguing Disputing about any matter of profitable Inquiry in any Useful Art or Science will be this according to the Scriptures The Lord hath given us a Full Treasury of useful Knowledg in his word did we throughly apprehend prize and improve it in so much as that there is sometimes more in the right understanding of one Hebrew word For instance the first word of the First Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its Full significancy than in all the Commentaries that I have met with upon that whole Psalm as This word O the Happy goings on with a straight foot Or O the blessed progresses with a straight foot The Root of this word is Ashar in Piel Ishsher he went with a straight foot he went happily he walked on in a right way This one word rightly understood doth cast a shining light upon the whole drift and Scope of the Psalm which is to discover who and what they are who do make an happy progress in the Christian Religion and what choice Priviledges they are which such holy Proficients do injoy This is more particularly and expresly described negatively such a man is one who hath not walked in the Councel of the unjust nor hath stood in the way of sinners nor hath fate in the seat of the scornful For Experience will convince Evidently that he who hath thus walked stood and set the Hebrew Phrase by the time past being often used to set out continued actions he will be thereby hindered in his religious journy and lose much of his precious time Then positively such a man is one whose delight in the Law of Jehovah and who in his Law will meditate Day and night because if he have done so do and shall do so This will put him onward and set him forward in the way of the LORD The holy Spirit will bear witness with his Spirit unto the Truth and goodness of This to his clearer Evidence and sweeter satisfaction And then shall he be As a Tree planted by brooks of waters which shall give his Fruit in his season and his leaf shall not fade and whatsoever he shall do shall prosper when others are fruitless and fading and unthriving as to any Spiritual holy good Progress he shall be confirmed established and not so moved whilst the unjust shall be As Chaff which the Spirit or wind driveth it away he shall be justifyed and stand upright in judgment when others are condemned and cast he shall have Church-Communion and Gospel-fellowship in the Assembly and Society of just ones which the unjust shall not be so priviledged withal For Jehovah will know he will acknowledg this way of such just ones wherein they make such an holy happy Progress whereas the way of the unjust will and shall perish they and their way together shall be done away decay be lost not regarded but rejected note this well what a Storehouse of practical religion there is contained sometimes in one Hebrew word It has been puzzling disturbing distracting and discourageing unto many in their endeavours and Studies after the knowledg of the Hebrew tongue that in most of the Hebrew Lexicons they meet with so many various and sometimes contrary significations of one Root which doth so leave them at a loss that they are under a temptation to throw away their Books and to conclude as if there were scarce any certainty in this Kind of Knowledg whereas the Scriptures of Truth copied out in the true real nature of created Beings is the one and the only Book of books where rightly and thorowly understood believed experienced lived and practised for infallible certainty of useful Science which Philosophical writings (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Academica qui Academici negabant aliquid posse comprehendi idest intelligi certo from α privativa particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprehendo apprehendo of vain affecters of human wisdom are not Therefore this also would I further commend to those who are Gifted and Graced for and called to such a work of Works and so others who having estates might do much in their place for encouraging and promoting of it by large Contributions that way that in writing of Lexicons in translating of the Orginal Scriptures into Mother-Tongues and in giving forth the interpretation and
meaning of Hebrew words and phrases they would keep close to some only one certain proper signification of every distinct Hebrew Root and that the Sap and juice of that significancy may run itself into every one of the branches boughs limbs fruits and leaves which do spring from thence so will the True and Genuin meaning have more clearness and * Compare Gen. 18. 23. Eccl. 7. 16 17. Prov. 21. 18. Eccless 3. 16. Deut. 25. 1 2. Prov. 17. 15. Psal 37. 33. consider the Hebrew of Psal 121. 2. certainty The most Proper significancy of divers Hebrew words is best discerned by their opposites from words of a quite contrary meaning * As he who would find out the true signification of Reshengnim must inquire what is the right understanding of Tzaddikim if the one do set out such as are just ones justified ones then the other must denote these who being unjust not justifyed How holy a Mystery How full a Treasury is there sometimes in one Compound-praeposition in This Tongue of Tongues Take a short hint of this My help said the Psalmist From-with Jehovah who making Heavens and Earth it has been so is so will be so from Him as the Author and Giver of it yet so from Him as that it is with Him He must preserve and keep alive what of help he does actually afford and he continually gives more Oh! who can enough sigh at and cry over the neglect of an exact version or translation of the Original Scriptures word for word without adding or altering into the Mother tongues as they commonly call them because they are such as their Mothers do teach their Children in the several Country's where they are born and bred whereas in True propriety of speech The Hebrew tongue is the only Mother-tongue as the most ancient original Tongue all other Tongues being daughter tongues at the Babel-Confusion of Languages each of which doth retain and borrow somewhat of and from the Hebrew This is an ingenious Age in almost every Art and Science else which the Virtuosi of the times are set much upon highly to advance and greatly to promote in their several sorts of Learning though it doth appear to me through a God-taughtness they lay aside at least the Best if not the only way of thorow obtaining of a Satisfying Knowledg which is the Holy Spirits teaching in the written word and in Created Beings according to that word and what must this only of all other wayes be laid aside Oh how often have I bewailed it with yearning bowels and compassionating pittyings over the precious Souls of the Sons and Daughters of Adam that so many rich truths should lye so much concealed from them wherein their Temporal Spiritual and Eternal good is so much concerned either by giving them no translation of the Scriptures in their own Countrey Language or by putting of them off with such a corrupt and defective such a dark misinterpreted translation in some places as doth hide so many profitable parts of Religion from them which yet Jehovah-Aelohim hath graciously vouchsafed to them in Holy Writ How many large Incomes and great estates have been sinfully mispent and prodigally wasted of late years in England by riotous living and such like Sensual bestialities which will pass heavily upon accompt another day when the Righteous judge of All shall sit upon their case and reckon with such and how many others are there who with the Horseleach are still crying Give Give still coveting more Gold and Silver Houses and Lands and still more being never satisfyed whilst scarcely can one man be found who first layes up at least that portion of Gods part the tenth part of his incom and who also lay's by more of the rest that upon a clear call and just occasion he may have by him a considerable sum for the carrying on of some eminently useful work for the Honour of our Lord and for the good of Souls and the Blessing of Nations such a work especially as this is which I am now upon If there be a new Bridg to be raised or a new great gate or Gate-house to be built or a conduit to be set up or a Superstitious Aedifice to be Superstructed or some such London-Monument to be erected the present Lord Mayors will lavish out of their Baggs to have their names Engraven and their Majoralties recorded to be read in the stones In such cases It is who can be the chief Overseer of such a work some Prince or Noble man or rich Merchant is ambitious at the Foundation or Finishing of such a great publick structure to lay on or cause to be laid on in open view the first or the last stone one or both of which stones it may be they will lay with their own hands (x) Zech. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. and then O what shouting out-cryes and joyful Acclamations are there sounded forth by the people But where are the Zerubbabels and Joshuahs who will set their hands to this new Temple work this later day-glory-work and where do such Prophets and such sons of the Prophets as of old in Samuels in Elijahs and in Elisha's dayes dwell what entertainment this printed paper may have upon the hearts of any into whose hands it may be received I have referred and committed to his care who has the hearts of the great ones in his hand Praying Longing and waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the conspicuous appearance of his Personal Presence when there shall be larger pourings out of his Spirit and when some shall come forth so cloathed with that Spirit when (y) Isa 19. 18. Zech. 3. 9. Isa 34. 16. Acts 14. 13. 1 Thes 3. 13. 2 Thes 2. 8. Heb. 9. 28. 1 Tim. 6. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 10. 4. 1 8. Titus 2. 13. Jude 14. Isa 32. 15. 44. 3 4. 59. 19 20 21. Ezek. 39. 29. 47. 1-12 Joel 2. 28 29. Zech. 4. 6. 12. 10. Rev. 1. 4. 2. 7 11 17 29. 3. 1 6 13 22. Mat. 24. 29 30 31. Mal. 4. 5 6. Rev. 1. 7. 22. 16-21 the lip of Canaan the Pure lip shall be turned to Jehovah's new Covenant-people and shall be Spoken by not only such as are born and bred Hebrews but others also when Jehovahs book shall be more searched after and into from above and when it shall be more crowned with good success upon hearts who shall here below set to their Seals unto that Testimony which shall by miraculous Attests from Heaven be given by the Author of that word of his grace Even so come Lord Jesus Amen Hallelujah POSTSCRIPT The Author intends Freely to impart what in his Measure he hath Freely received to any Sons whom the LORD shall make willing to be Christ's Disciples in this School About Three-times in every week there will be these Exercises One about the proper significancy of Original words and phrases Another about Philosophy A Third about Textual Sermons To which may be added a Specimen or Example of some particular Art or Science