Boring of the Ear. By either of these short Paraphrases others have made larger we see the discrepancy is naturally removed either phrase being the same in effect and both pertinent to the scope or design of the whole Paragraph And the like accommodation might be made of other seemingly discordant passages would the bounds of this discourse permit §. XVI To put into one all which has been said to this last Objection The summ of our Answer is Our Saviour and his Apostles in their ordinary preaching to the Jews used not the Septuagint part therefore of what our Adversaries object is false In the Penning of the Gospel or New Testament because a then received though not exact Version was Argumentum ad Homines a fit proof to many of that age and people and would besides serve well enough for all in general the Version of the Septuagint was used ordinarily and yet very * See herein the Appendix A. frequently deserted There is therefore still more falsity in our Adversaries clamours But it were Non-sense to infer hence as some do that therefore the Septuagint is more Authentick than the Hebrew that is a Translation than its Original Besides after all this coil the authority both of Old Testament and New stands firm above the attempts of its enemies Wit Learning or Malice For generally in both the Sense is the same the way of expressing only different The Old Testament as extant in our English Bibles is translated Grammatically or in a manner word for word What is produced out of the Old in the New Testament is often a Paraphrase of the Original text as being translated from a kind of Greek Paraphrase rather than a simple Version commonly called the Septuagint and thence arises that seeming discrepancy I conclude therefore upon the whole the Scriptures of the Old Testament to be a sure word of Prophecy notwithstanding those loud imputations of Corruptions of various Readings of None or Indeterminate sense All which imputations for the main are false and where they are not affect not any considerable substantial part of Scripture that is of DIVINE VERITY or point of Christian Faith and Practice And the same by the premises is conclusible also of the New Testament Therefore Scripture is Authentick §. XVII It remains now in the next place to propound terms on which we may be ascertained of our Faith from the Scriptures which have been thus proved to be sure And they shall be very brief few and reasonable terms which I will propound The first Article shall be That in all controverted points of Faith for there are points of Faith at least points which some men obtrude on our Faith that are controverted and rejected too very commonly and justly I say that in such controverted points of Faith That doctrine wherein both Originals and Translations generally agree whether in a deep silence or a contradiction thereof be adjudged either spurious or no point of Faith This will at once strike off all the new Articles of the Tridentine Creed I mean the Creed framed from the Decrees of the Council of Trent together with all Doctrines favoured there though not expresly decreed for Faith but since improved and received as Faith by the Romanists And particularly the Popes Infallibility will be gone for if Scripture had asserted Infallibility to any Vicegerents of God on earth it would be to Kings not to Popes Prov. xvi 10. A Divine Sentence is in the lips of the King his mouth transgresseth not in judgment Which text though it manifestly restrain it self to the Administration of Civil justice wherein none of our Church ever thought of any Appeal from a Royal Decree or in any other case of resistance to the Royal Authority yet doth it suppose a more generally infallible conduct and superintendency of God's Providence over the Decrees of Kings than is any where in Holy Scripture asserted over the Sentences or Determinations of any other Judges on Earth in any cause whatsoever And I would fain see produced from any part of Holy yea even of Apocryphal Writ so fair and express a Text for an Infallibility of Popes or any other on Earth But this by the bye Secondly I propound only further That whatsoever Originals and Translations generally agree in asserting as necessary to be believed or done in order to Salvation be admitted as such And I am sure then the whole Doctrine both of Faith and Practice of the Protestants stands establisht For our Foundation is Scripture and that interpreted by the Vniversal Tradition of the Church in its first and purest ages even when the boldest Adversaries we have dare not say those corruptions of Scripture of which now they make so clamorous pretences were in being and in Scripture our Foundation is not dubious Texts perplext with Criticisms uncertain by various Readings suspected for Corruptions Interpolations c. but plain express undoubted and repeated ones And as long as our Foundation thus is Scripture if that be a sure Word our Faith is sure §. XVIII Whether then some men dispute against Scripture meerly out of wantonness and to shew their Learning or for other ends it concerns not us to enquire But both they and all our Enemies must know 't is past time of day to put us out of conceit with our Bibles or to perswade them out of our Hands or Hearts Graecum est non potest legi might down in Monkish ages it will not now no not even with those whom some disdainfully and with a greater pride than is due to the Merits of their own Learning call Laicks And God be blessed for this glorious Light Upon the whole therefore We remain sure both of our Scriptures and of our Faith §. XIX And here by the way I must take the liberty to say All other imaginable ways of making us sure of our Faith without Scripture in the present state of things are idle and vain And whatever carries any plausible pretence of certainty will at length resolve it self into this of Scripture There has been a long time and still is a great cry in the world about Tradition But if we look into the case it is not Tradition that is the Constant consent of the Antient and Catholick Church which the Romanists have to vouch for their present Traditions or peculiar Doctrines but the late corrupt use and bold say-so of their Church Thus in the Council of Trent when the Evidence of any of these their new at least comparatively new Doctrines had been sifted and could be found neither in Scripture nor Fathers or any ancient Councils it was but saying the point was so held or practised by the Church and the Church was Infallible therefore being the Church taught it it must be an Apostolick Tradition though not extant in Scripture and so whatever they pleased to give this venerable name to was thereby presently dub'd an Article of Faith And particularly thus was the matter carried in the
question of the Sacrifice of the Mass of the present Canon of the Mass of the Sacraments of Penance and Extreme Vnction in the Interdict of Priests marriage not to name more points of like nature For if indeed truly named that is Vniversal Tradition Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus c. were the thing urged upon us we are and ever have been as much for it as any men To this day we cry Let us go to tryal on this issue in the name of God But such Tradition as this we shall find amongst all the controverted points only for Scripture I will be bold to say we have not so unvariable Tradition for the Articles of the Creed which we call the Apostles Creed as we have in behalf of the Books of the Old and New Testament So that according to these measures we are but where we were before Universal Tradition must prescribe our Faith and Universal Tradition we have for no point controverted but for the Original Scriptures nay indeed scarcely for any other point of Faith so uniformly Original Scripture therefore as before still stands unshaken §. XX But these Rules will some say are for Learned men who understand and can search Originals compare Versions and see wherein they agree What shall the unlearned Common people do I say still Keep to your English Translation good people keep to what you are Your English Bibles to you are the surest word of Prophecy and Gospel too that you can meet with The Translation of the Old Testament has been confest by Foreigners of excellent judgment usque ad invidiam aliarum gentium elaborata Accurate even to the envy of other Nations That of the Gospels is no less so especially taking in the Margin And though it were to be wisht the Epistles had been translated with that strictness according to the letter and so unbyast judgment with which the other parts of our Bibles are yet this may be said even as to them What the Text has less exact according to the Original or dubious not only the Margin but the very different Character of several words in the Text directs to a genuin or wholesome sense of My meaning is whereas it is not possible to translate Hebrew or Greek into English strictly word for word and to make such translation sense the Idiom or propriety of the languages so vastly differing that we must in English put in several particles or little words to make good sense with us all those words so put in or supplied are printed ordinarily in a different sort of letter from the rest by which means we may easily discover any word that is not in the Original and from such discovery know what weight to lay upon that text so translated So that there is no danger of peoples miscarrying in their Faith who humbly and soberly keep to their English Bibles which God be blessed now we have extremely cheap and frequent in our hands Only the people are here to be minded in case of doubts to have recourse to their spiritual Guides By these means then we are or may be as sure of our Faith from Scriptures as we are of the Scriptures themselves §. XXI Now To put a due Conclusion to this Discourse there are some Christian Practices which the scope of it does naturally recommend and some advices which it may occasion And First Let the reflexion on what has been discoursed touching the certainty of Holy Scriptures and their Authentick Verity raise in our hearts a due Esteem and Cordial Reverence of them as not being from Man nor meerly by man but given by inspiration of God and in a peculiar and marvellous manner preserved and transmitted by his special Providence from age to age through multitudes of hands down to us who live probably near the end of time It was once the great priviledge of the Jews that to them were committed the Oracles of God that priviledge is now common to us with them Though perhaps therefore we may not keep those Oracles with so superstitious a care and curiosity as they did yet let us both keep and treat them with as cordial adherence and as awful esteem But especially let us take care that we use not passages out of them in our ordinary discourse slightingly in Jest and Drollery to create Laughter to our selves and others Holy things should not be plaid with and we are to remember that if we do play with them we teach people to think we do not believe them to be Holy Secondly Let not a Prize be put into our hands and we such fools as not to have hearts to use it Have we the Word of Prophecy surer than other Miraculous Revelation Have we the Gospel of Truth too both mutually confirming and confirmed by one another and shall we be so idle and gross as to be any of us in a manner uncapable of using either Why should there be a person in a Christian Church or Nation to whom the Holy Scripture should be as a Book sealed who should know no more by the Book open and laid before him than if fast closed up I mean who should not be able himself to read the glad tidings and terms of his Salvation Good people deny not your selves that which an excellent Person has most justly stiled the CHRISTIANS BIRTH-RIGHT the use of Holy Scriptures Take care and endeavour that both you and yours be able to read And being so whatever Book you read not through or rarely look into let not the Bible be that neglected one Rather account such a day lost in which you have not attentively and considerately read some part thereof Thirdly Remember him who said Hold fast till I come that no man take thy Crown He sits at the right hand of his Father ready to give it and will in good time come and give it us if we faint not And Lastly As most excellent means to insure to our selves a right use of Scriptures and to preserve us from misinterpreting or misapplying them let us be careful of the two following particulars First To furnish our minds with a form of sound Doctrine gathered out of Holy Scripture This it is to be hoped we had in some degree in our early years by Catechism and without this both Scripture and Sermons are in a great measure unserviceable It is the Apostle's Rule that they who Prophesie that is in the New Testament notion of Prophesying interpret Scripture do it according to the proportion of Faith Rom. xii 6. his meaning seems to be that understanding first the several Articles of Christian Faith we should interpret or take Scripture in consistency therewith This rule will prevent the abuse of Holy Scripture to Errour and Novelty Secondly To endeavour the Honest and Impartial practice of what we know in the fear of God and as we shall answer the not Doing according to our Lords will when we have known That his will This most
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Original But in the latter clause here it is to be noted that Emphatical restrictive term only is added by the Septuagint and not in the Original Hebrew And the Evangelist herein follows the Septuagint C. not the Hebrew which is the first instance we meet with of this kind The Ninth is out of Isai ix 1. produced by S. Matthew iv 15. Not to speak here of the irreconcileable difference as it seems to me between the Septuagint and the Original in such turning aside I will not say perverting the very scope of that whole Paragraph as makes the principal part of it †if taken according to the Septuagints Version unapplicable and impertinent to the Evangelists purpose we will only view that part of it broken off short which our Evangelist alledges The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sat saith S. Matth. walked Hebr. in darkness have seen a great light and to them that sat in the region Hebr. in the land of the shadow of death light is sprung up or hath shined Thus far exactly do S. Matthew and the Hebrew agree But the Septuagint differ thus The region of Zebulun the land of Naphthali and the rest of the inhabitants of the Sea-coast and Galilee of the nations beyond Jordan Behold a great light ye people that walk in darkness and ye that dwell in the region of the shadow of death light shall shine upon you Any one may perceive by the English these Translations differ but the Greek of S. Matthew and of the Septuagint in this text is much A. more different than the English And S. Matthew here leaves the Septuagint and keeps close to the Hebrew In our Lord's Sermon on the mount there are several concise old Precepts and Doctrinal passages rather toucht and alluded to than any intire text that I have observed produced For the Tenth and last instance therefore out of S. Matthew we will take what he alledges Chap. viii 17. expresly and by name out of Isaiah chap. liii 4. which had our Translators thought good might have been rendred word for word out of Isaiah's Hebrew as they have rendred it out of S. Matthew's Greek But I confess the text is capable of a double sense and therefore they did very wisely according to the different scopes of the Contexts to give it a double rendring However in S. Matthew's text Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses every word answers to the Hebrew But the Septuagint have translated every word different more pertinently perhaps to the Prophets scope than to the Evangelists thus This person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears our sins and is grieved concerning us S. Matthew therefore leaves their translation and himself as far as we know translates a-new And now to summ up our Evidence out of S. Matthew A. 7 It is plain in seven Texts of Ten he forsakes the Septuagint and in diverse of them as all reason induces us to think because they therein forsake the Hebrew which he rather follows CC. 3 In the other three of the Ten we find S. Matthew Hebrew and Septuagint all accord In four of those instances wherein S. Matthew translates a-new he takes that liberty which we asserted receding in part from the very Hebrew it self in expression B. 4 I mean though not so much in sense Finally we have one instance and that only in one restrictive particle C. 1 which he takes out of the Septuagints Version not to be found in the Hebrew but very pertinent and emphatical to his purpose Therefore I. the Authors or Pen-men of the New Testament do not always or with a perpetual consent follow the Septuagints Version but II. They take such Latitude or Liberty as seemed good to the Holy Spirit of God which were the points to be demonstrated CHAP. III. Texts produced out of the Old Testament by S. Mark SAINT Mark in the very beginning of his Gospel produces two Testimonies indeed out of two Prophets but so as they would seem at first sight only one continued Prophecy The first is out of Malach. iii. 1. and in the Hebrew it runs thus Behold I send my messenger and he shall prepare as by sweeping or cleansing the way before my face This the Septuagint thus render Behold I send forth my messenger and he shall view the way before my face S. Mark paraphrases it thus A. Behold I send 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark Only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. my messenger before thy face who shall prepare thy way before thee B. A liberty not only altering the words and Translation but enlarging the sense at that rate which nothing but present inspiration could warrant He follows neither Septuagint nor Hebrew The second is the same with the fifth out of S. Matthew wherein S. Mark exactly agrees with his brother Evangelist even to the use of the Pronoun instead of the Hebrew emphatical Noun both of them in that minute difference receding from Hebrew as well as Septuagint But this difference is not sufficient to justifie any mans saying they here left the Version of the Seventy CC. Wherefore we will account all here agreed There is a glance at a passage of Isaiah Mark iv 12. but the text not so directly cited as in S. John we will therefore defer the Examination of it till we meet with it there And supposing we pass that the third text produced by S. Mark out of the Old Testament as far as I have observed is Isai xxix 13. which as to what is made use of by this Evangelist runs thus in the Hebrew This people honour me with their lips but have removed their heart from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men as our Translators have rendred it or more strictly their fear towards me is a taught precept of men And in the Septuagint thus This people they honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me But in vain do they worship me teaching commandments of men and doctrines This last clause indeed S. Mark ch vii 6 7. we will suppose for perspicuities sake a little alters varying the order of the words and omitting the conjunction B. which makes no inconsiderable variation of the Septuagints sense indeed meliorates it and is an instance of the liberty he used thus Teaching for doctrines or as Doctrines the commandments of men C. In the rest word for word he keeps to the Septuagint who undoubtedly as Grotius well conjectures for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read as easily they might in old Manuscripts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to that reading they naturally enough rendred the text as they did and in vain do they worship me for so read it runs word for word thus and in vain is their fear that is worship towards me Then the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Greek did to render their writings more unexceptionable to the Jews follow as much as they could the Jews Greek Translation that is the Septuagint yet we find in several Prophecies of the greatest moment as well as in other points they could not follow them and be true to their own Cause Sixthly It does not appear by any thing we have examined that any corruption or the least escape can be affixt to the Hebrew text It marvelously comports with the Evangelists Greek As to the great objection from Psalm xxii 16. that we have there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a Lion for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they pierced in which say they the Septuagint has set us right besides that even P. Simon himself in his late Disquisitions confesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the very Text or is the Ketib in some antient Copies 't is enough to me if it were but the Keri or Marginal reading But I think more cannot be desired for satisfaction and in ample vindication of the Hebrew than the great Dr. Hammond has given us upon that Psalm Lastly In the Septuagints Version it is apparent there must be acknowledged gross Errours Five places are above marked and assigned where we must say either the Evangelists have erred or the Septuagint and I have found no one yet so hardy as to cast the Errours on the Evangelists ergo c. Those whom what I have said may a little surprise finding things thus notoriously otherwise than some have asserted and haply themselves too thought may be ready to ask what those Asserters have to say for themselves in case of these and such other Prophecies thus being perverted rather than translated My design permits me not to take notice of all Let it suffice to represent and animadvert upon their chief answers It is not to be denyed say some of them but that the books of the Septuagint are in many places Inquinati interpolati corrupted and vampt with the Versions of Symmachus Theodotion c. At another time Septuaginta Interpretes sic vertisse stultum est existimare 'T is a silly thing to imagine the Seventy thus rendred And as to that very Prophecy of Zech. xii Whether these Errours came in out of Aquila c. or any other or by casual misreading 't is needless to enquire It is enough to say the Septuagint undoubtedly rendred it otherwise These answers or defences are perhaps more wonderful than the first assertions The Septuagint say they did not translate thus 'T is a silly thing to think they did But the best Copies of the Septuagint extant do contain and exhibit these Translations In S. Jerom's days the Septuagints Version had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronym in loc They who at this time of day shall contradict S. Jerome and say he had only vitiatum interpolatum Codicem a corrupt and interlined book when he elsewhere tells us he had Origen's Hexapla corrected by himself according to the best Copy They who to boot shall when they list that is when they are not able to defend the Septuagints Version reject all the Copies of that Version which passes every where for the Septuagints and say 't is a silly thing to believe in this or that it is the Septuagints when in another breath they shall cry up the very worst Copy of the Septuagint far above all other Translations and even the Original it self are indeed persons to be admired but I will not say for what Only I will desire them if they expect to be believed to bring better Proofs than they have done that is than their own Word and Scorn But to wave what I might say more largely of this nature I only reply I accept the Answer Behold then good Reader how excellently we are helpt up by those who reject the Hebrew text and all Translations from it What will they reject all Scripture some of them would be at that if they durst but they ' I tell you By no means What then will they set up instead of the Hebrew The Septuagints Version Who now would not expect that this were most perfect subject to no various readings much less corruptions or interpolations No such matter besides infinite various readings these books are corrupted in many places interpolate with the Versions of Symmachus Theodotion Aquila and God knows what others This is their own confession Again they are Books which they will deny at their own pleasure Lastly Books which if we will believe the Holy Evangelists have in them many gross Errours inconsistent with the very History as well as Doctrine of the Gospel and which as has been proved the Evangelists could not have followed and together have been faithful to their Cause To conclude all We have seen the Assertion of a perpetual or even general Agreement of the Pen-men of the New Testament with the Septuagint to be groundless and false boldly advanced by some and too credulously taken up by others S. Paul perhaps a Person more conversant with the Hellenists mostly used the Septuagint though not constantly others much less Contrarily to the aforementioned Assertion The present Hebrew text is confirmed by the Evangelists Versions and agreement with it it is not impeached by their very recessions or siding with the Septuagint it stands therefore above blemish The Text of the Septuagint besides its disorders confusions and mutilations which we might have said much more of departs many times grosly from the truth It is indeed the Antientest and most honourable Version it gives excellent light and confirmation in most things to the truth but it is many times as said unhappy Perhaps it has been purer than it is yet above these thirteen hundred years it is sure it has had some of those gross Errours in it which we find at this day remaining and we cannot always hold to it and together hold to the Gospe The proof of Christianity chiefly and in some points as to Testimony solely relies on the Hebrew Text In which by all those passages which have been examined it does not appear that there is any defect errour or so much as rational pretence of any depravation Upon the whole then it remains That we adore and magnifie the Providence of our good God in restoring to lost mankind in general the knowledge of God and themselves when they had extinguisht that given by natural Reason in preserving to us in particular the Original Oracles of Salvation so intire as we see they are in raising up to us Persons so exquisitely skilled and verst in them as of old so especially within these two last Centuries by whose indefatigable labours we have many admirable Translations of those Oracles into the common speech of each Nation to none of which Translations blessed be the same good God is our last English one inferiour That therefore we keep close to these and stand unshaken in our Faith not suffering our selves to be imposed upon by the Cavils and subtle Sophisms of some or the specious pretences of more Necessaries than we find in Scripture from others nor lastly by a third sorts pompous ostentation of Learning Truly these last seem to have written only to shew the World how plausibly they can maintain the most mischievous Paradoxes I had many more things to have said especially as to that objection of the loss of the true old Hebrew speech I could shew the same pretences of reason may be brought for the loss of the old Greek nay even of the old Latin it self In all dead Tongues the true antient Pronunciation in process of time must needs be lost often also the first and true signification of many words whence words must necessarily grow equivocal or ambiguous c. Now it would be thought very extravagant to say upon these reasons the old Greek and Latin are both lost We dote if we say we have either Let the same Plea be admitted for the old Hebrew These and other things I thought once to have discours'd of in this Appendix But it is much swoln already and I conceive I have said enough to settle such who may be shaken but are desirous of satisfaction And as to Scepticks or men of an Inveterate Faction I have not such thoughts of my self as that I am able to recover them POST SCRIPT THESE notes ought to have been written in a Language more befitting Criticisms of this nature But the reason they speak plain English is because they are opposed for the main to Books which are made to speak English More Texts also should have been examined and the search of these carried further Both may be done in time if God give leisure and it appear this Essay does any good In the mean while the Candid Reader will take notice I deal with the People whom I thought next to Truth and Plainness which I have sacredly observed I could gratifie in nothing more than brevity God bless all to the end designed FINIS
Oriental Jews observing one Lection the Occidental another And all these are collected by diverse and particularly are now extant in the Appendix to the English Polyglott But yet all these Diversities make only a great noise are indeed of no considerable importance For the instances of Diversity are such as no one but a superstitious Jew or some person who had a mind to unsettle foundations and for want of Arguments were concern'd to catch at any shadows of Probability would contend about them They are such mighty matters as these Whether the same word should be written with a long E or a short A whether another should be written with their longest O or with one somewhat shorter whether it should have an Accent of this kind or of that whether a supernumerary which they call a Quiescent letter should be written or whether being it might without dammage be spared it should be omitted Not much unlike hereto is also the noise made with what they call the Keri and the Ketib that is the Marginal and the Textual Reading as if there were some great repugnancy betwixt these Whereas in brief the thing or matter is still the same in both the manner of expression a little different And this occasioned partly by the Superstitious modesty of some Rabbies putting into the Margin certain words which they thought more honourable to be read instead of some other broader term in the Text as 2 Kings xviii 27. they would not read it Pisse but the water of their feet forsooth partly by reason of some letters or words dubiously written in some venerable antient Copies and so variously read From which Antient Copies out of reverence they would vary nothing in transcribing but copying the text exactly and entirely as they found it that which was by the most learned in ages of old judged the more correct reading they put in the Margin and called it Keri So that the summ of the difference is 't is one way in some Copies 't is otherwise in others and which way soever we take the matter is of no great moment we have liberty without danger to take either reading which pleaseth us best Now under favour such various readings as these are not Arguments of the Scriptures corruption but of Gods Providence and Humane industry to preserve Scripture from corruption And in conclusion of this point I may boldly aver there is not one Article either of Faith or Christian practice concern'd in all the various Hebrew Lections in the World The knowledge of them to use the Rabbinical phrase is only an Hedge about the Law and our care to read aright in matters of the smallest concern keeps us from reading amiss in the greater §. XI The Third Objection is The Original is insignificant For besides that None no not the very Jews themselves can read it the words of that Language are Equivocal and so the Translations all vain and not to be credited as being taken from an Original which is in a manner whatsoever people will make it and much different from what it was as used by our Lord and his Apostles while on earth To be as brief and distinct as may be in Answer to this Objection as to its several parts §. XII First It is a pleasant thing to perswade men they cannot read when actually they do read and themselves know and others hear them so to do Or that now of old that way of Reading has been lost which yet has been transmitted as all Ordinary Arts are but with infinitely more care from hand to hand by people who have in their Generation made it their whole business as to this day many Jews do meerly to read and write their Law It is sure and some of the fiercest of our Contradictors confess the true way of reading was known in Origen's time for he transcribed the Hebrew text both in Hebrew Characters and exprest again as well as it could be in Greek letters into his Hexapla It was known in Hierom's time For he had that Hexapla and amended his Copy of it by the more Authentick one in the Library of Caesarea and out of the Hebrew text by help of that Copy made his Translation Thus for at least 400 years after Christ we are as I think it must be acknowledged secure About the year 1000 at furthest if not sooner all men confess the Tradition of the present reading to have been in use and sithence at least to have been currant in the world by the industry of the Masorites of Tiberias In the interval then of 600 years this the old Art of Reading must be lost and a new one invented by that people whose Original native Language this Hebrew was Which negligence first and afterwards most laborious Artifice of the Jews how improbable it is especially seeing we have left to us the several Prophecies at least so many several Prophecies of the Messias and of the Jews dealing with him so intire in the text even against the supposed inventors themselves is so notorious that I need not speak Besides what cause or even appearance and likelihood of any cause can in any History be shewn why in that Period of time rather than any other the Jews should lose the Reading of their Language Indeed considering that their Law that is their Religion was written in this Language considering they ever were and to this day are a Nation so stubbornly tenacious of their Religion and Law considering lastly that no small numbers amongst them as just now was said made the Reading and Copying of their Law the business of their life did so in our Saviours time have done so since it is not credible the Reading of it should in that period have been lost And if not then lost never §. XIII Secondly As to Hebrew words having several significations 't is very sure some of them have but so have the words in all Languages which are known to have been commonly spoken upon the face of the Earth at least 't is notorious the same may be said of either Greek or Latin And we know even in them as well as in the more modern Lingua's we are daily put to it from the scope of the discourse and the juncture of some words with other c. to determin the true acceptation or sense Which in our Translating the Hebrew text if we cannot do we ordinarily set down both or all the senses one in the Text and the other in the Margin of our Translations So that this is no just plea either against the Hebrew or our Translations thereof We may take the Hebrew where dubious in all the senses it will bear and our Translations the modern ones especially and above others the English set down the several senses So does not the Septuagint however highly contended for by some which always confines us to one of the several senses and sometimes misses all of them In a word our Translations have or may have all the
first Testimony S. Matthew alledges out of the Old Testament is from Isai vii 14. This in the Hebrew runs strictly enough according to our Translation Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel In the Septuagint it runs thus Behold a Virgin shall receive in her womb and then word for word as in the Hebrew But in the Greek of the New Testament Behold a Virgin shall have or carry in her womb which sense our Translators in the New Testament Matth. i. 23. well express shall be with child I say to conceive and to be with child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are different Phrases if not things and of more signification perhaps here than at first thought of Had our Lord according to the opinion of the old Valentinians or later Mennonites in Germany had only a Celestial body which meerly passed through the Virgin Mary not being formed of her substance she might have been said to have received it in her womb But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be with child being according to common use of the Phrase properly of Women who are truly gravid does more emphatically assert the Verity of our Lord 's Humane Nature by implying his being carried the full time in the womb and therefore that his body was nourished and consequently formed of his blessed Mothers substance which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not And it may be no wrong to the Holy Ghost to conceive he guided S. Matt. thus in Greek to word his Text rather than as the Septuagint do But besides this variation whereas the Septuagint keeping close to the Hebrew have it Thou shalt call namely Thou O Virgin shalt call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Matthew here also recedes and that from both saying They shall call And in truth in the former point he may be thought also to have a little left the Hebrew as well as Septuagint for to receive in the womb which was the Septuagints phrase more properly expresses what we mean by Conception than being with child A. In short his receding from the Septuagint in these two points is a proof of the first Proposition B. his receding both from Septuagint and from Hebrew a proof of the second The second Allegation by S. Matthew is out of Micah v. 2. which is again very well and naturally translated from the Hebrew in our Bibles thus Thou Bethlehem-Ephratha though thou be little amongst the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel The Septuagint here render it Thou Bethlehem the house of Ephratha art the least c. In the rest nearly enough to the Hebrew But S. Matthew especially in his Greek recedes from both strangely Thou O Bethlehem the land of Judah art in no wise the least amongst the Princes of Judah Matth. ii 6. Besides the Variation here is a plain contradiction to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. greater difference both in Sense and Phrase cannot well be And in the latter member excepting the contradiction the variation is not much less A. For out of thee shall come forth a Ruler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. B. Who shall feed my people Israel Except the proper names here is nothing alike What in the name of God did he think who asserted a perpetual consent The third Old Testament text is Hosea xi 1. which we render faithfully word for word out of the Hebrew thus Out of Egypt have I called my son But the Septuagint †I have sent for his children out of Egypt S. Matth. ii 15. A. agrees exactly with the Hebrew the Septuagint being as foreign to his purpose as it is to the Original A fourth Text is out of Jerem. xxxi 15. in which again the faithfulness of our Translators to the Hebrew as well as to S. Matthew is to be commended In Ramah was there a voice heard Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Lamentation and weeping of bitterness Hebr. Rachel mourning for her children and refused Hebr. would not be comforted because they were not Matth. ii 17. He who reads the xxxi ch of Jerem. in the Septuagints Version of that Edition at least which Bishop Walton judging most correct put into our Polyglott shall find in the whole chapter nothing nearer this Text than ver 3. A voice of people crying out of Oronaim destruction and great breaking in pieces But in truth this was not designed by the Interpreters as a Translation of what is cited by S. Matthew as belonging to ch 48. 3. For here the Copy is all in confusion and this which stands in order the xxxi is indeed the xlviii And that which stands the xxxxviii is legitimately the xxxi And so besides the Hebrew and our Bibles from it even the vulgar Latin and some later Editions of the Septuagint have it Now in the said xxxxviii chap. v. 15. we have the text we look for which is there rendred thus A. Rachel all in weeping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simply without any adjection not as S. Matt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which perfectly answers the Hebrew and would not cease over her children because they were not A fifth Text is out of Isai xl 3. where first we find S. Matthew to follow the Septuagints Version But the reason may well be presumed to be because they here follow the Hebrew CC. so that in this text all three accord especially if we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sense our Translators very properly as I conceive take it The little difference there is is of S. Matthew from both the Original and Septuagint for he putting the Pronoun for the Noun contracts the latter clause thus Make straight his paths instead of make straight the paths of our God which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our God B. very material as it might seem is in both but omitted by S. Matthew The sixth and seventh Texts S. Matthew produces out of the Old Testament if we wave one which is mangled by the Devil as I am apt to think it not disagreeable to do inasmuch as his authority will not much credit any Translation are such wherein Hebrew Septuagint and CC. Evangelist are all at sufficient accord CC. The places are Deut. viii 3. and vi 16. in S. Matt. iv 4 7. The Eighth is Deut. vi 13. alledged by S. Matth. iv 10 where both Hebrew and Septuagint and so indeed in parallel texts read Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God but S. Matthew glosses the word more to his purpose and receding from both faith Thou A. shalt worship the Lord thy God B. The Temptation was To fall down and worship the Tempter v. 9. And the word Worship which is comprised in the fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was more pertinent to oppose to the temptation than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Septuagint though that more exactly answered 〈◊〉
the fathers to the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly according to the Original Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint have ordered it B. and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just A free paraphrase as to this latter clause The Second Text alledged by S. Luke is in Chapter ii 23. where he tells us It is written in the Law of the Lord every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. Now who would not expect to find this text in the Law Hebrew or Greek word for word Yet is the sense only not the words written there The first-born that openeth every matrice as the Septuagint exactly according to the Hebrew render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commanded to be sanctified to the Lord. Exodus xiii 1. wherefore it may be justly said 't is called Holy Let us look further and verse 12. we find that Law repeated as to Beasts thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So again verse 15. So Numbers viii 16. But the Text as S. Luke reports it and seems to say 't is written so I no where find but in him B. Wherefore we plainly see him use a liberty to depart from the words both of Septuagint and Hebrew The Third indeed is of small moment yet to be just to our proposal we must take notice of it A. A pair of Turtles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says S. Luke Chap. ii 24. two Turtles say both Hebrew and Septuagint In the Fourth Text there is a Concord betwixt all except only in one word CC. What the Septuagint call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plains nearer the Hebrew Isai xl 4. S. Luke stiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. iii. 5. smooth ways I do not esteem this difference worth the accounting In the Fifth S. Luke varies a little both from the Hebrew and the Septuagints and S. Matthew's Greek The Hebrew runs thus Deut. viii 3. But upon all that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live The Septuagint gloss it thus upon every word that proceeds c. and S. Matthew as we have seen follows them S. Luke takes it shorter Chap. iv 4. But by every word of God I esteem not this variation worth reckoning and therefore here again account an Accord of all C C. In the Sixth I cannot but take notice of the same Variation made by S. Luke both from the Hebrew and Septuagint which S. Matthew also made A. Thou shalt worship instead of Thou shalt fear Luke iv 8. B. I refer my Reader to the note on S. Matthew C C. In the Seventh which was also the seventh out of S. Matthew we find S. Luke to accord with the Hebrew Septuagint and S. Matthew 'T is Luke iv 12. and Deut. vi 16. The Eighth passage has in it considerable both agreement and disagreement to the Septuagint 'T is Isai lxi 1 2. Where the Septuagint render what is in the Hebrew The opening of the prison to them that are bound by recovery of sight to the blind C. This so different rendring depends upon a Criticism in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To open properly say the Masters the eyes and ears However S. Luke follows it Chapter iv 18. But withal presently adds another rendring which plainly shews he had the Hebrew text in his eye To set at liberty or send away them that are bruised This I say is not in the Septuagint and evidently answers though it does not strictly express the Hebrew Opening of the Prison to them that are bound So that considering both he may be said here to have followed both Septuagint and Hebrew taking out of the Septuagint what was there emphatical to his purpose and yet not neglecting what in the Hebrew was not so fully translated by the Septuagint B. but giving a gloss of it according to his liberty And yet again in this text he most plainly recedes from the Septuagint A. in the very next clause rejecting their translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was not pertinent to the scope of the text and rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is both pertinent to the scope and strict justice to the word The Ninth Old Testament Text which I have observed produced by S. Luke is the same with S. Mark 's first 'T is in Luke vii 27. and of Malachi iii. 1. A. The two Evangelists exactly accord but both recede widely from the Septuagint B. on which for the present I make no other note than there I did In Luke viii 10. there is a short touch upon Isai vi 9. as indeed there was in S. Mark but it occurs again more largely in S. John we will therefore at present wave the examination thereof and for the Tenth Testimony produced out of the Old Testament by S. Luke we will take that which next follows in him Chapter x. 27. which is so much the more worthy of our notice because it is repeated by the two former Evangelists but our measure did not reach to it 'T is Deut. vi 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart Soul Might Hebr. Mind Soul Power Sept. Heart Soul Strength Mind Luc. Heart Soul Mind Strength Mar. Heart Soul Mind Matth. Where it is observable that our Evangelist first recedes from the Septuagint as indeed do both the other to keep with the Hebrew in the first term with all thine heart B. Secondly both from the Hebrew and Septuagint in making the Scheme consist of four terms as also doth S. Mark whereas Originally it has but three And thirdly he renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint A. Which are ample evidences of his not following here the Version of the Septuagint In summ Of Ten Texts taken by S. Luke out of the Old Testament we find him to recede considerably from the Septuagint in six A. 6 in three we find him to accord both with the Septuagint though not exactly and Hebrew CC. 3 In one he neither accords with Hebrew nor Septuagint as to words but only as to sense taking the liberty usual with all Writers of his own expression But besides this there are five other instances of this liberty B. 6 as to sundry members of Texts And there is only one instance and that in one clause of a Text wherein he keeps to the Septuagint apaâ—t from the Hebrew C. 1 Whence I presume both our Propositions again demonstrated CHAP. V. Texts of the Old Testament cited by S. John A. THE First Chapter i. 23. Here S. John recedes both from the Septuagints Version which the other three Evangelists exactly followed and from them also Where they all have Prepare ye the way B. Isai xl 3. Matt. iii. 3. Mark i. 3. Luk. iii. 4. He says Make ye strait the way which was one sort of preparing it but not at all that intimated in the Original Hebrew word The
Second I have observed S. John to produce is out of Psalm lxix 9. which he reports Chapter ii 17. exactly according to Hebrew and Septuagint C C. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up The third Text by him produced for of little glances and allusions no judgment can be made in this case is out of Isai liv 13. which the Septuagint supplying the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as very properly they might out of verse 12. render And I will make all thy children taught of God This Text S. John thus reports Chap. vi 45. It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God A new Verb a Pronoun for a Noun departing herein both from Hebrew and Septuagint and yet the text brought in abruptly as if it had been written in so many words or syllables And they c. 'T is A. plain he intended not to follow the Septuagints Version B. though he kept both their and the Original sense CC. The fourth Testimony is very short but with such out of this Evangelist we must be content from Psalm lxxxii 6. produced John x. 34. I said ye are Gods And herein all accord The fifth Testimony I have observed still I mean alledged at any length by S. John is out of Zech. ix 9. which in the Hebrew and Septuagint runs thus Rejoice greatly O daughter of Sion shout Proclaim Sept. O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh to thee Just and having Salvation Saved Hebr. Saving Sept. is he lowly rather poor Hebr. and riding upon an Ass and upon a colt the fole of Asses upon a beast accustomed to the yoak and a young fole say the Sept. †This S. John hath varied and contracted thus Ch. xii 15. A. Fear not daughter of Zion Behold thy King cometh sitting upon an Asses colt B. There are scarce three words and those such too as could not be varied of the Septuagints Greek in the Evangelists text The sixth Old Testament-text S. John has is again a short one 'T is Isai liii 1. C C. Lord who hath believed our report John xii 38. And here all agree exactly Indeed in a text so short and plain it could not well be otherwise But in The seventh which is larger we shall find difference enough The Prophet Esaias said again saith S. John Chap. xii 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them But Isaiah's words run thus Isai vi 10. Make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed as our Translation only making the Hebrew English excellently renders them The Septuagint varies a little from the Hebrew turning the Imperative Active into a Passive Preter which a small difference of punctation does in the Hebrew and read thus The heart of this people is waxed fat and they hear heavily with their ears and their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should convert or return and I should heal them Which Version of the Septuagint S. Matthew follows word for word Matth. xiii 15. So does S. Luke Acts xxviii 27. A. Notwithstanding it is plain both from Hebrew from the Septuagint and from both those Evangelists does S. John's text differ B. 1. Whereas the text consists of two Climaxes or gradations one answering the other S. John cuts each short by one step 2. The Septuagints Version and the Evangelists from them impute all to the people as their own Act or Choice Their heart is grown fat they hear heavily with their ears and they have closed their eyes S. John ascribes all this following herein the Hebrew to God and his judgment 3. The principal Greek words are in a manner all diverse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint Matth. Luk. Further as to this Text it is worthy our notice that it is in three other places of the New Testament alledged at least in part namely by S. Luke in his Gospel Ch. viii 10. who there contracts it and otherwise varies from the Septuagint By S. Mark Chap. iv 12. who in the beginning holds with the Septuagint but in the close instead of I should heal them puts paraphrastically and their sins should be forgiven them which is one part of healing leaving herein Hebrew as well as Septuagint And lastly by S. Paul Rom. xi 8. who glosses on it differently from all thus God hath given them the Spirit of slumber instead of made their hearts fat eyes that they should not see ears that they should not hear with S. John and the Hebrew attributing the Act to God So that to note this by the bye though not to bring it into account in one and the same place six times produced in the New Testament there seems twice a new Version clearly made viz. by S. John one and by S. Paul another Twice is the Old Septuagint followed by S. Matthew and S. Luke in the Acts but also twice again varied in a good part the very same Evangelist in terms varying from himself All an ample proof of the Latitude which is to be acknowledged in these Authors stiles In the xv of S. John ver 25. there is a transient and occasional allusion to an expression Psalm xxxv 19. And though I might reasonably say the Evangelist here seems rather to have followed some other Version or reading than that of the Septuagint for he produces the text as an intire Proposition with a causal particle in its beginning as connecting it with what in the Original context is supposed to have gone before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is only the subject of a Proposition or rather of a Petition both in our Septuagint and Hebrew though I might I say take notice of this difference yet I wave it and as the Eighth Testimony produced by S. John reckon that out of Psal xxii 29. touching the souldiers dividing our Lord's garments amongst them and casting lots upon his seamless coat alledged Chap. xix 24. wherein all agree C C. Reckoning as we have done the Ninth Old Testament-text I observe alledged by S. John is Chap. xix 36. which whether taken out of Exod. xii 36. or Num. ix 2. varies considerably both in phrase and sense Ye shall not break a bone from off it in the former place They shall not break a bone from off it in the latter But S. John has it a bone of him A. or of it viz. of the Passeover a Figure of Christ crucified shall not be broken I ought not to wave this difference The last passage I have observed S. John to produce out of the Old Testament is Zechariah xii 10. which in
the Hebrew stands exactly as we have it translated to us They shall look upon me or to me whom they have pierced And S. John only varying the person of the object reports it Chap. xix 37. A. They shall look on him whom they have pierced But the Septuagint most strangely indeed so as not without difficulty to be reconciled with sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even herein not with S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Words of most ambiguous meaning whereas the Original is most express and plain But put what sense we can upon them nothing can well be more foreign from the Original Prophecy and the Evangelists purpose than they are Some render them They shall look upon me for that they have insulted But why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that If we will retain that signification of the Verb the translation would be better for those things wherein they have insulted or for those persons over whom they have insulted Either is more natural than the first However this text was not produced as a Prophecy of the Jews insulting over or scoffing at the Messias but of their piercing him And indeed the Authors of this translation seem not to have understood the text of the Messias at all For if we follow what some men tell us is the best Edition of the Septuagint it is not said therein they shall mourn over him but over themselves Besides give me leave to offer an old conjecture of the ground of all this misinterpretation The Interpreters read undoubtedly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They danced or wantonly skipped like Rams as the word is used Psalm cxiv 4. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They pierced How easie the mistake is any one that knows the Hebrew letters may see And so reading it they could not have better translated it than as they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For though Hezekias render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rejoiced against and Suidas adds only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they mocked both which together may make up They insulted yet is none of these the proper much less the only signification of that word Budaeus a person of better judgment and accuracy who also brings ever fair Vouchers for what he says proves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Dance deliciously to the pleasing and transport of the Spectators or else Mimically and reproachfully The former of these I take to have been designed by the Interpreters as being the more usual signification of the word The Jewish Doctors we must know have a saying that in all the Plagues which befel their Nation since their forefathers guilt in the matter of the Golden Calf there are still some grains of the Ashes of that Calf in them Now I verily believe the Interpreters in the rendring this text reflected upon those Idolatrous sports of the old Jews as being leavened with the aforesaid Doctrine and understood it to be a Prophecy of a deep National humiliation for that National sin in the Wilderness Exod. xxxii Thus then I judge their Greek text here ought to be rendred They shall look upon me for what they Danced that is for their Lewd dancing and voluptuous sports and solemnities before their Idol when they held that Feast wherein They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play And thus we have a Prophecy of the Jews repentance for Crucifying the Messiah perverted to the occasion as I conceive of the Golden Calf by the misreading of the Interpreters Misreading I said for that they did herein misinterpret is plain else S. John misinterprets and I think no better account can be given of their misinterpreting than that which I have supposed from S. Hierom of their misreading But if any will make better sense of their text I shall be glad to hear it I am sure if any text which so peculiarly touches the proof of Christianity as this does had been so awkwardly read in the Hebrew we should have heard largely of Rabbinical corruptions and malicious frauds of the Modern Jews But it is time to summ up our account here also Of Ten Texts which are all this Evangelist has as far as I have observed of any tolerable length whence to judge of a translation A. 6 of ten I say he leaves the Septuagints translation in six and in four of these six B. 4 takes the liberty we have asserted of departing from the strict expressions as well of Hebrew as Septuagint In the other four texts indeed he follows both Hebrew and Septuagint CC. 4 But there is not any one instance I have been-able to observe in this Evangelist wherein he follows the Septuagint alone that is receding from the Hebrew Original text Wherefore I conceive both the Propositions again evidenced by these deductions out of S. John CHAP. VI. The Summ of all the Accounts TO draw all the Accounts now into one Of forty Texts out of the Old Testament the Evangelists have clearly departed from the Septuagint and translated a-new in twenty two A. 22 generally keeping closer to the Hebrew than the Septuagint does In diverse of these Twenty two as well as in others particularly notified to the number of Eighteen in all they have B. 18 taken the Latitude we asserted varying from the expression of the Hebrew as well as of the Septuagint and contenting themselves to report the general sense of the Testimonies they produce Which Summ of Instances being found within so small a compass amply proves both the Propositions above asserted but not needful here to be repeated CC. 14 Further it appears there are Fourteen texts of the Forty wherein Hebrew Septuagint and Evangelists all accord Again There are Four in which the Evangelists have followed the Septuagint singly C. 4 at least as to some expression or expressions which are not or seem not to be in the Hebrew which expressions that it may appear justly of what moment they are though they are before set down a-part and as they did occurr yet I will here repeat them together Matt. iv 10. Him only shalt thou serve Mark vii 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching commandments of men and Doctrines Sept. Teaching for Doctrines the commandment of men Mark This is only thus far virtually in the Hebrew Text. Their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men in vain do they worship me is an Addition of the Septuagint not in the Hebrew crept in by mis-reading though agreeable enough to the scope of the text but followed by S. Matthew as well as Mark. Mark x. 8. They two shall be one flesh Luke iv 18. Recovery of sight to the blind This is virtually in the Hebrew For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render opening signifies properly the opening of the eyes or ears as before said in which say the Hebrew Criticks it differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the opening of the