that Number Sect. 14. This I say is the summe of this Doctrine as it is delivered unto us in the Scripture Here Reason is entangled yet after a while finds evidently that unlesse this be embraced all other things wherein it hath to do with God will not be of value to the soule this will quickly be made to appeare Or all that Communion which is here between God and man founded on the Revelation of his mind and will unto him which makes way for his Enjoyment in Glory there are these two parts 1 Gods gratious Communication of his Love Goodnesse c. with the fruits of them unto man 2. The obedience of man unto God in a way of Gratitude for that Love according to the mind and will of God revealed to him These two comprise the whole of the entercourse between God and man Now when the mind of man is exercised about these things he finds at last that they are so wrapped up in the Doctrine of the Trinity that without the beliefe receiving and acceptance of it it is utterly impossible that any interest in them should be obteined or preserved Sect. 15. For the first or the Communication of God unto us in a Way of Love and Goodnesse it is wholly founded upon and enwrapped in this Truth both as to the eternall Spring and actuall Execution of it A few instances will evince this Assertion The Eternall fountaine of all Grace flowing from Love and Goodnesse lies in Gods Election or Predestination This being an Act of Gods Will cannot be apprehended but as an eternall act of his Wisdome or Word also All the eternall thoughts of it's pursuit lye in the Covenant that was betweene the Father and the Son as to the Son 's undrtaking to execute that Purpose of his This I have at large elsewhere declared Take away then the doctrine of the Trinity and both these are gone There can be no purpose of Grace by the Father in the son no Covenant for the putting of that purpose in Execution and so the foundation of all fruits of Love Goodnesse is lost to the soule Sect. 16. As to the Execution of this Purpose with the actuall dispensation of the fruits of Grace and Goodnesse unto us it lyes wholely in the unspeakable Condescention of the Son unto Incarnation with what ensued thereon The Incarnation of the Eternall Word by the Power of the Holy Ghost is the bottome of our Participation of Grace Without it it was absolutely impossible that man should be made partakeâ— of the favour of God Now this enwraps the whole Doctrine of the Trinity in it's bosome nor can once be apprehended without it's Acknowledgment Deny the Trinity and all this meanes of the Communication of Grace with the whole of the satisfaction and Righteousnesse of Christ falls to the Ground Every Tittle of it speakes this Truth And they who deny the one reject the other Sect. 17. Our actuall Participation of the fruits of this Grace is by the Holy Ghost We cannot our selves seize on them nor bring them home to our owne soules The impossibility hereof I cannot now stay to manifest Now whence is this Holy Ghost Is he not sent from the Father by the Son Can we entertaine any thought of his effectuall working in us and upon us but it includes this whole Doctrine They therefore who deny the Trinity deny the Efficacy of it's operation also Sect. 18. So it is as to our Obedience unto God whereby the Communion betweene God and man is compleated Although the formall object of Divine worship be the nature of God and the Persons are not worshipped as Persons distinct but as they are each of them God yet as God they are every one of them distinctly to be worshipped So is it as to our faith our Love our thanksgiving all our Obedience as I have abundantly demonstrated in my Treatise of distinct communion with the Father in Love the Son in Grace and the Holy Ghost in the Priviledges of the Gospell Thus without the Acknowledgment of this Truth none of that Obedience which God requireth at our hands can in a due manner be performed Sect. 19. Hence the scripture speakes not of any thing betweene God and us but what is founded on this Account The Father worketh the Son worketh and the Holy Ghost worketh The Father worketh not but by the Son and his spirit The Son Spirit work not but from the Father The Father Glorifieth the Son the Son Glorifieth the Father and the Holy Ghost glorifieth them both Before the foundation of the world the Son was with the Father and rejoyced in his peculiar worke for the Redemption of mankind At the Creation the Father made all things but by the Son and the Power of the Spirit In Redemption the Father sends the Son the Son by his owne condescention undertakes the worke and is incarnate by the Holy Ghost The Father as was said communicates his love and all the fruites of it unto us by the Son as the Holy Ghost doth the merrits and fruits of the mediation of the Son The Father is not knowne nor worshipped but by and in the Son Nor Father or Son but by the Holy Ghost c. Sect. 20. Upon this discovery the soule that was before startled at the Doctrine in the notion of it is fully convinced that all the satisfaction it hath sought after in it's seeking unto God is utterly lost if this be not admitted There is neither any foundation left of the communication of love to him nor meanes of returning Obedience unto God Besides all the things that he hath been enquiring after appeare on this account in their Glory beauty reality unto him so that that which most staggerd him at first in the receiving of the Truth because of it's deep mysterious glory doth now most confirme him in the embracing of it because of its necessity Power and heavenly Excellency Sect. 21. And this is one Argument of the Many belonging to the things of the Scripture that upon the Grounds before mentioned hath in it as to my sense and Apprehension an Evidence of Conviction not to be withstood Sect. 22. Another consideration of the like Efficacy may be taken from a briefe veiw of the whole Scripture with the designe of it The consent of parts or Harmony of the scripture in it's selfe and every part of it with each other and with the whole is commonly pleaded as an Evidence of it's divine Originall Thus much certainly it doth evince beyond all possible contradiction that the whole proceedeth from one and the same principle hath the same Authout and He wise discerning able to comprehend the whole compasse of what he intended to deliver and reveale Otherwise or by any other that onenesse of Spirit designe and ayme in unspeakable variety and diversity of meanes of it's delivery that absolute correspondency of it to it's selfe and distance from any thing else could not have been attained
another Treatise declare do manifest this Truth Sect. 8. That surely then which shall administer to all and every one of them equally and universally satisfaction as to all these things to quiet and calme their spirits to cut off all necessity of any further Enquiries give them that wherein they must acquiesce and wherewith they will be satiated unlesse they will cast off that Relation and dependance on God which they seek to confirme and settle surely I say this must be from the all seeing all-satisfying Truth and Being and from none else Now this is done by the doctrine of the Scripture with such a glorious uncontroleable Conviction that every one to whom it is revealed the eyes of whose understanding are not blinded by the God of this world must needs cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found that which in vaine I sought elsewhere waxing foolish in my imaginations Sect. 9. It would be too long to insist on the severalls take one instance in the buisinesse of Attonement Reconciliation and Acceptance with God What strange horrible fruits and effects have mens contrivances on this account produced What have they not invented What have they not done What have they not suffered and yet continued in dread and bondage all their daies Now with what a Glorious soule appeasing Light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and Attonement by the bloud of Christ the son of God come in upon such men This first astonisheth then conquereth then ravisheth and satiateth the soule This is that they looked for this they were sick for and knew it not This is the designe of the Apostles discourse in the 3 first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans Let any man read that discourse from v. 18. of chap. the first and onward and he will see with what Glory and Beauty with what full and ample satisfaction this Doctrine breaks out Chap. 3. v. 22 23 24 25 26. Sect. 10. It is no otherwise as to the particulars of present Worship or future Blessednesse this meets with men in all their wandrings stops them in their disquisitions convinces them of the darknesse folly uncertainty falsenesse of all their Reasonings about these things and that with such an Evidence and Light as at once subdues them captivates their understanding and quiets their soules so was that old Roman World conquered by it so shall the Mahumetan be in Gods good and appointed time Sect. 11. Of what hath been spoken this is the summe All mankind that acknowledge their dependance upon God and Relation to him are naturally and cannot be otherwise grievously involved and perplexed in their hearts thoughts and Reasonings about the Worship of God Acceptation with him having sinned and the future Enjoyment of him some with more cleare and distinct Apprehensiōs of these things Some under more darke and generall notions of them are thus exercised To extricate themselves and to come to some issue in and about these enquiries hath been the great Designe of their Lives the Aime they had in all things they did as they thought Well and laudably in this world Notwithstanding all which they were never able to deliver themselves no not one of them or attaine satisfaction to their soules but waxed vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were more and more darkened In this estate of things the Doctrine of the Scripture comeing in with full unquestionable satisfaction to all these suited to the enquirings of every individuall soule with a largenesse of Wisdome and depth of Goodnesse not to be fathomed it must needs be from that God with whom we have to doe And those who are not perswaded hereby that will not cast Anchor in this harbour let them put to sea once more if they dare turne themselves loose to other considerations and try if all the forementioned perplexities do not inevitably returne Sect. 12. Another consideration of the Doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it There are some Doctrines of the Scripture some Revelations in it so sublimely glorious of so profound and mysterious an Excellency that at the first proposall of them nature startles shrinks and is taken with Horrour meeting with that which is above it too great and too excellent for it which it could desirously avoid and decline but yet gathering it selfe up to them it yeilds and finds that unlesse they are accepted and submitted unto though unsearchable that not only All that hath been received must be rejected but also the whole dependance of the Creature on God be dissolved or rendred only dreadfull terrible and destructive to nature its selfe Such are the Doctrines of the Trinity of the Incarnation of the son of God of the Resurrection of the dead of the new birth and the like At the first Revelation of these things nature is amazed cries how can these things be Or gathers up it selfe to Opposition this is babling like the Athenians folly as all the wise Greeks But when the Eyes of Reason are a little confirmed though it can never clearly behold the Glory of this Sun yet it confesseth a Glory to be in it above all that it is able to apprehend I could manifest in particular that the Doctrines before mentioned and severall others are of this importance namely though great above and beyond the reach of Reason yet upon search found to be such as without submission to them the whole comfortable Relation between God and man must needs be dissolved Sect. 13. Let us take a view in our Way of one of the Instances What is there in the whole Book of God that nature at first sight doth more recoyle at then the Doctrine of the Trinity How many do yet stumble fall at it I confesse the Doctrine its selfe is but sparingly yet it is clearly and distinctly delivered unto us in the Scripture The summe of it is that God is one His nature or his Being one That all the Properties or infinite Essentiall Excellencies of God as God do belong to that one nature and Being This God is infinitely Good Holy Just Powerfull He is eternall omnipotent omnipresēt these things belong to none but him that is that One God That this God is the Father Son and Holy Ghost which are not diverse names of the same Person nor distinct Attributes or Properties of the same nature or Being but One Another and a Third all equally that One God yet really distinguished between themselves by such uncommunicable Properties as cōstitute the One to be that One and the Other to be that Other and the Third to be that Third Thus the Trinity is not the Union nor Unity of three but it is a Trinity in Unity or the Ternary number of Persons in the same Essence nor doth the Trinity in its formall conception denote the Essence as if the Essence were comprehended in the Trinity which is in each Person but it denotes only the distinction of the Persons comprised in
alone that it passes in the world or is believed we have added to it many bookes upon our owne judgement and yet thinke it not sufficient for the guidance of men in the worship of God and their obedience they owe unto him yet do they blush are they ashamed as a thiefe when he is taken nay do they not boast themselves in their iniquity and say they are sold to worke all these abominations The time is coming yea it is at hand wherein it shall repent them for ever that they have lifted up themselves against this sacred grant of the wisdome care love and goodnesse of God Sundry other branches there are of the Abominations of these men besides those enumerated all which may be reduced to these three corrupt and bloody fountaines 1. That the Scripture at best as given out from God and as it is to us continued was and is but a partiall revelation of the will of God the other part of it which how vast and extensive it is no man knowes for the Jewes have given us their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Mishna and Gemara These kept them lockt up in the breast or chaire of their holy Father beeing reserved in their magazine of Traditions 2. That the Scripture is not able to evince or manifest its selfe to be the Word of God so as to enjoy and exercise any Authority in his name over the soules and consciences of men without an accession of Testimony from that combination of politicke worldly minded men that call themselves the Church of Rome 3. That the Originall copies of the Old and New Testament are so corrupted ex ore tuo serve nequam that they are not a certaine standard and measure of all doctrines or the touch-stone of all Translations Now concerning these things you will find somewhat offered unto your considerations in the ensuing discourses wherein I hope without any great alterâ—ation or disputes to lay downe such principles of truth as that their Idoll imaginations will be found cast to the ground before the sacred Arke of the word of God and to lye naked without wisdome or power It is concerning the last of these only that at present I shall deliver my thoughts unto you and that because we begin to have a new concernment therein wherewith I shall afterward acquaint you Of all the Inventions of Sathan to draw off the minds of men from the word of God this of decrying the authority of the Originalls seems to me the most pernicious At the beginning of the reformation before the Councill of Trent the Papists did but faintly and not without some blushing defend their vulgar Latine Translation Some openly preferred the Originall before it as 1 Cajetan Erasmus 2 Vives and others Yea and after the Councell also the same was done by Andradius 3 â—erarius 4 Arias Montanus 5 Masius 6 and others For those who understood nothing but Latine amongst them and scarcely that whose ignorance was provided for in the Councill I suppose it will not be thought meet that in this case we should make any account of them But the State of things is now altered in the world and the iniquity which first wrought in a mystery being now discovered casts off its vizard and grows bold nihil est audacius istis deprensis At first the designe was mannaged in private writings Melchior Canus 7 Gulielmus Lindanus 8 Bellarminus 9 Gregorius de Valentia 10 Leo Castrius 11 Huntlaeus 12 Hanstelius 13 with innumerable others some on one account some on another have pleaded that the Originalls were corrupted some of them with more impudence than others Leo Castrius as Pineda observes raves almost where ever he falls on the mention of the Hebrew text Sed is est Author saith he dum in hujusmodi Ebraizationes incidit vix sui compos bono licet zelo tamen vel ignoratione rerum quarundam vel vehementiori aliquâ affectione extra fines veritatis modestiae rapitur si ex hujusmodi tantum unguibus Leonem illum estimaremus non etiam ex aliis praeclaris conatibus aut murem aut vulpem censeremus aut canem aut quiddam aliud ignobilius Yea Morinus who seems to be ashamed of nothing yet shrinks a little at this mans impudence and folly Apologetici libros saith he sex bene longos scripsit quibus nihil quam Judaeorum voluntarias malignas depravationes demonstrate nititur zelo sanè pio scripsit Castrius sed libris Hebraicis ad tantum opus quod moliebatur parum erat instructus In the steps of this Castrius walkes Huntley a subtie Jesuite who in the treatise above cited ascribes the corruption of the Hebrew Bible to the good providence of God for the honour of the vulgar Latine But these with their companions have had their mouths stopt by Reinolds Whitaker Junius Lubbertus Rivetus Chamierus Gerardus Amesius Glassius Alstedius A mama and others So that a man would have thought this fire put to the house of God had been sufficiently quenched But after all the endeavours hitherto used in the daies wherein we live it breaks out in a greater flame they now print the Originall it selfe and defame it gathering up translations of all sorts and setting them up in competition with it When Ximenius put forth the Complutencian Bibles Vatablus his Arias Montanus those of the King of Spaine this Cockatrice was not hatcht whose fruit is now growing to a flying fiery Serpent It is now but saying the ancient Hebrew letters are changed from the Samaritane to the Chaldean the points or vowels and accents are but lately invented of no Authority without their guidance and direction nothing is certaine in the knowledge of that tongue all that we know of it comes from the translation of the 70 the Jews have corrupted the old Testament there are innumerable various lections both of the old and new there are other copies differing from those we now enjoy that are utterly lost So that upon the matter there is nothing left unto men but to choose whether they will be Papists or Atheists Here that most stupendious fabrick that was ever raised by inke and paper termed well by a learned man magnificentissimum illud quod post homines natos in lucem prodiit unquam opus biblicum I mean the Parisian Bibles is prefaced by a discourse of its Erector Michael de Jay wherein he denies the Hebrew text prefers the vulgar Latine before it and resolves that we are not left to the word for our rule but to the Spirit that rules in their Church pro certo igitur atque indubitato apud nos esse debet vulgatam editionem quae communi catholicae Ecclesiae linguâ— circumfertur verum esse genuinum sacrae Scripturae fontem hanc consulendam ubique inde fidei dogmata repetenda ex quo insuper consentaneum est vera ac certissima fidei Christianae autographa in
Points Of Elias Levita The value of his Testimony in this case 18 Of the Validity of the Testimony of the Jewish Rabbins 19 Some considerations about the antiquity of the Points the first from the nature of the Punctation its selfe in reference unto Grammaticall Rules 20 From the Chaldee Paraphrase and integrity of the Scripture as now pointed THis being in my Apprehension the state of things amongst us I hope I may without offence proceed to the consideration of the particulars before mentioned from whence it is feared that Objections may arise against the purity and selfe evidencing power of the Scriptures pleaded for in the foregoing Treatise That which in the first place was mentioned is the Assertion of the Points or vowels and Accents to be a novell invention of some Rabbins of Tiberias in Palaestina This the learned Author of the Prolegomena defends with Capellus his ArgumeÌ„ts and such other Additions as he was pleased to make use of To cleare up the concernments of our Truth in this Particular it will be necessary to consider 1 what influence into the right understanding of the Text these points have and necessarily must have 2 What is their Originall or who their Invention is ascribed unto in these Prolegomena As to the assertive part of this controversy or the vindication of their true sacred Originall some other occasion may call for additions to what is now by the way insisted on And as I shall not oppose them who maintaine that they are Coaevous with the letters which are not a few of the most learned Jews and Christians so I no wayes doubt but that as we now enjoy them we shall yet manifest that they were compleated by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the great Synagogue Ezra and his Companions guided therein by the infallible direction of the spirit of God Sect. 2. That we may not seeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to contend de lana caprina the importance of these points as to the right understanding of the Word of God is first to be considered and that from Testimony and the nature of the thing its selfe Marinus in his preface to his Hebrew Lexicon tells us that without the points no certaine truth can be learned from the Scriptures in that Language seeing all things may be read diverse waies so that there will be more confusion in that one tongue than was amongst all those at Babylon Nulla igitur certa doctrina poterit tradi de hâc linguâ cùm omnia possint diversimodò legi ut futura sit major confusio unicae hujus linguae quam illa Babylonis Morinus plainly affirms that it is so indeed instancing in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it may be variously pointed hath at least 8. severall significations and some of them as distant from one another as heaven and earth And to make evident the uncertainty of the language on this account he gives the like Instance in c r. s. in latine Junius in the close of his Animadversions on Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 2. cap. 2 Commends that saying of Johannes Isaac against Lindan he that reads the Scriptures without points is like a man that rides an horse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a bridle he may be carried he knowes not whither Radulphus Cevallerius goes farther Rudiment ling. Heb. cap. 4. Quod superest de vocalium Accentuum antiquitate eorum sententiae subscribo qui linguam Hebraeam tanquam omnium aliarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutissimum planè ab initio scriptam confirmant quandoquidem qui contra sentiunt non modo authoritatem sacrae scripturae dubiam efficiunt sed radicitùs meo quidem judicio convellunt quod absque vocalibus distinctionum notis nihil certi firmique habeat As for the antiquity of the vowels and Accents saith he I am of their opinion who maintaine the Hebrew language as the exact patterne of all others to have been plainly written with them from the beginning seeing that they who are otherwise minded do not only make doubtfull the Authority of the Scriptures but in my judgment wholly pluck it up by the roots for without tho vowels and notes of distinction it hath nothing firme and certaine In this mans judgment which also is my own it is evident to all how obnoxious to the opinion now opposed the Truth is that I am contending for To these also may be added the Great Buxtorfs father and son Gerard. Glassius Voetius Flac Ilyric Polan Whitaker Hassret Wolthius Sect. 3. It is well known what use the Papists make of this conceit Bellarmine maintaines that there are errors crept into the originall by this addition of the points de Verb. Dei lib. 2. cap. 2. Hisce duabus sententiis refutatis restat tertia quam ego verissimam puto quae est scripturas Hebraicas non esse in universum depravatas opera malitia Judaeorum nec tamen omnino esse integras puras sed habere suos errores quosdam qui partim irrepserint nâ—gligentiâ ignorantiâ librariorum c partim ignorantiâ Rabbinorum qui puncta addiderunt itaque possumus si volumus puncta detrahere aliter legere These two opinions being confuted the third remaineth which I supose to be most true which is that the Hebrew scriptures are not universally corrupted by the malitious worke of the Jewes nor yet are wholy pure or entire but that they have errors which have crept in partly by the negliligence and ignorance of the transcribers partly by the ignorance of the Rabbins who added the points whence we may if we please reject the points and read otherwise In the voluminous opposition to the Truth made by that learned man I know nothing more pernitiously spoken nor doe yet know how his inference can be avoided on the hypothesis in Question To what purpose this insinuation is made by him is well knowne and his Companions in designe exactly declare it That their Hebrew Text be corrected by the vulgar latine is the expresse desire of Gregory de valentia Tom. 1. disput 5. qu. 3 and that because the Church hath approved that Translation it being corrected saies Huntly by Hierome before the invention of points But this is put out of doubt by Morinus who from hence argues the Hebrew tongue to be a very nose of waxe to be turned by men which way they please and to be so given of God on purpose that men might subject their consciences to their infallible Church Exercit. l. 1. Exer. 1. c. 2. Great hath been the indeavour of this sort of men wherein they have left no stone unturned to decry the originalls Some of them cry out that the old Testament is corrupted by the Jewes as 1. Leo Castrius 2. Gordonius Huntlaeus 3. Melchior Canus 4. Petrus Galatinus Morinus Salmeron Pintus Mersennus Animad in Problem Georgii Venet
Vowels in his Epistle to Evagrius Epist 126 nec refert utrum Salem an Salim nominetur cū vocalibus in medio litteris perrarò utantur hebraei if they did it perrarò they did it and then they had them though in those dayes to keep up their credit in teaching they did not much use them nor can this be spoken of the sound of the Vowels but of their figures for surely they did not seldome use the sounds of Vewels if they spake often And many other Testimonies from him may be produced to the same purpose Sect. 13. Morinus in his late Opuscula Hebraea Samaritica in his Digression against the Hebrew points and Accents the first part pag 209 brings in a new Argument to prove that the puncta vocalia were invented by the Jewish Gramarians however the distinction of sections might be before This he attempts out of a discourse of Aben Ezra concerning the successive meanes of the preservation of the Scripture first by the men of the great Synagogue then by the Massorites then by the Grammarians As he assignes all these their severall workes so to the Grammarians the skill of Knowing the progresses of the holy tongue the generation of the Kingly points and of Sheva as he is by him there cited at large After he labours to prove by sundry instances that the Puncta vocalia are by him called Reges and not the Accents as is now the use And in the Addenda to his booke praefixed to it he triumphs upon a discovery that the vowels are so called by Rabbi Jehuda Chiug the most Antient of the Jewish Grammarians The busines is now it seemes quite finished and he cryes out Oculis aliorum non egemus amplius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc sumus A sacrifice is doubtlesse due to this dragge of Morinus But quid dignum tanto Sect. 14. 1 The place insisted on by him out of Aben Ezra was some yeares before produced weighed and explained by Buxtorfe out of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the standard of the holy tongue De punct Orig. Part. 1. pag. 13. 14. cap. 3 and it is not unlikely from Morinus his Praeface to his Consideration of that place that he fixed on it some yeares agoe that he learned it from Buxtorfius by the provision that he layes in against such thoughts for what is it to the Reader when Morinus made his Observations The manner of the men of that society in other things gives sufficient grounds for this suspicion And Simeon de Muys intimates that he had dealt before with the Father as he now deales with the Son Censur in Excercitat 4. cap. 7. pag. 17 himselfe with great and rare ingenuity acknowledging what he received of him Ass Text. Heb. ver cap. 5. Dicésve me haec omnia mutuatum à Buxtorfio quidni verò mutuor si necesse erit But what is the great discovery here made That the puncta vocalia are some of them called Reges The accents have now got that Appellation some of them are Reges and some ministri So that the present state of Things in reference to Vowels and Accents is but Novell 2ly That the Grammarians invented these regia puncta as Aben Ezra sayes Sect. 15. But I pray what cause of Triumph or boasting is in all this goodly discovery was it ever denyed by any that the casting of the names of the vowels and accents with the Titles was the worke of the Grammarians was it not long since observed by many that the 5 long Vowels with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were called of old Reges And that the distinction of the Vowels into long and short was an invention of the Christians rather than Jewish Grammarians the Jewes calling them some absolutely reges some great and small some matres filias But then saith he the Grammarians were the Inventours of these points why so Aben Ezra refers this unto the worke of the Grammarians to know the progresses of the holy tongue the generation of those things c but can any thing be more evident against his designe than his owne testimony It was the worke of the Grammarians to know these things therefore not to invent them Did they invent the Radicall and servile Letters Surely they also then invented the tongue for it consists of letters Radicall and Servile of points and accents yet this is also ascribed to them by Aben-Ezra But it is well that Morinus hath at length lighted upon R. Jehuda Chiug His Opinion before was collected out of Kimchi Ephodius Muscatus and others But what sayes he now himselfe for ought appeares by what we have quoted by Morinus he is like to prove a Notable witnesse of the Antiquity of the points It may be well supposed that Morinus writing on set purpose against their Antiquity would produce that Testimony which in his whole Authour was most to his purpose And yet he fixes on one wherein this Antient Grammarian who lived about the yeares of Christ 1150 or 1200 gives us an account of the points with their names without the least intimation of any thing to the impeachment of their Divine Originall So also the same Aben Ezra on Psal 9. vers 7 tels us of one Adonim Ben-lafrad who long before this R. Jehuda found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an ancient Copy And therefore when Morinus comes to make the Conclusion of his Argument discovering it seemes himselfe the folly of the pretence that the points were invented by the Grammarians the last sort of men mentioned by Aben Ezra he sayes procul omni dubio est luce meridianâ clarius Aben Ezram sensisse omnium Vocalium punctationem à Massorithis Tiberiensibus Grammaticis qui hos sequuti sunt Originem ducere But of these Massorites there is not one word in the premises nor is any such thing assigned unto them by Aben Ezra But quite another imployment of making an hedge about the Law by their observations on all the words of it And had he dreamed of their inventing the points he would sure enough have assigned that worke to them and for the Grammarians his owne Testimony lyes full to the Contrary Sect. 16. And these are the heads of the Arguments insisted on by Capellus and others and by these Prolegomena to prove the Hebrew punctation to be an invention of the Jewes of Tiberias 500 yeares or more after the incarnation of Christ Brevis Cantilena sed longum Epiphonema As I have not here designed to answer them at large with the various instances produced to give Countenance unto them Nor is it needfull for any so to doe untill the Answer already given to them be removed so by the specimen given of their nature and kind the sober and pious Reader may easily judge whether there be any force in them to evert the perswasion opposed by them Grounded on the Catholicke tradition and consent of the
the Spirit of Supplications was never made nor he bestowed upon them is not Cogent unto the people of Christ under the new Testament who have the promise made good unto them And much more unto the same purpose will some of them be found to say when men of wisdome and learning who are able to instruct them shall condiscend personally so to doe But I shall forbeare what might farther be spoken The Chaldee Paraphrase is à Cento also The Targum of Jonathan is ancient so also is that of Onkelos they are supposed to have been made before or about the time of our Saviour Some of the Jewes would have Jonathan to have lived not long after Ezra Others that he was the chiefe Disciple of Hillel about an 100 yeares before Christs Incarnation some are otherwise minded and will not own it to be much older than the Talmud but as yet I see no grounds sufficient to overthrow the received opinion The other parts of the Scripture were Paraphrased at severall times some above 500 yeares after our Saviour and are full of Talmudicall fancies if not fables as that on the Canticles That all these Targums are of excelent use is confessed and we are beholding to the Biblia Polyglotta for representing them in so handsome an order and place that with great facility they may be compared with the Originall But as to the end under Consideration how little Advantage is from hence to be obtained these few ensuing observations will evince 1. It was never the aime of those Paraphrasts to render the Originall Text exactly verbum de verbo but to represent the sense of the Text according as it appeared to their judgment Hence it is impossible to give any true account how they read in any place wherein they dissent from our present Copies since their endeavour was to give us the sense as they thought rather than the bare and naked importance of the words themselves hence Elias saith of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold the Targumists observed not sometimes the way of Grammar 2ly It is evident that all the Targums agreed to give us often mysticall sences especially the latter and so were necessitated to goe off from the letter of the Text. 3ly It is evident that they have often made additions of whole sentences to the Scripture even the best of them from their own Apprehensions or corrupt Traditions whereof there is not one tittle or Syllable in the Scripture nor ever was 4ly What carefull hands it hath passed through the bulky collection of various lections given in this Appendix doth abundantly manifest and seeing it hath not laine under any peculiar care and mercifull providence of God whether innumerable other faults and Errours not to be discovered by any variety of Copies as it is happened with the Septuagint may not be got into it who call tell Of these and the like things we shall have a fuller account when the Babylonia of Buxtorfe the Father promised some while since by the Sonne to be published Vindic. veritat Heb. p. 2. chap. 10. pag. 337 and as we are informed by the learned Annotator on this paraphrase in his Preface in the Appendix lately sent to the publishers of this Bible shall be put out so that we have not as yet arrived at the remedy provided for the supposed distemper Sect. 12. Of the vulgar latine its uncertaine Originall its Corruptions and Barbarismes its abuse so much hath been spoken and by so many already that it were to no purpose to repeat it over againe For my part I esteem it much the best in the whole Collection exhibited unto us excepting the Interlineary of Arias but not to be compared to sundry moderne Translations and very unfit to yeeld the reliefe sought after Sect. 13. The 70 is that which must beare the weight of the whole And good Reason it is indeed that it should answer for the most of the rest they being evidently taken out of it and so they are oftentimes worse yet they are now better theÌ„ that is But here againe all things are exceedingly uncertaine nothing almost is manifest concerning it but that it is woefully corrupt Its rise is uncertain some cal the whole story of that Translation into question as though there had never been any such persons in rerum naturâ the Circumstances that are reported about theÌ„ their works are certainly fabulous That they should be sent for upon the advise of Demetrius Phalereus who was dead before that they should be put into 72 Cells or private Chambers that there should be 12 of each tribe fit for that worke are all of them incredible See Scal. ad Euseb fol. 123. Wouwer Syntag. cap. 11. Some of the Jewes say that they made the Translation out of a corrupt Chaldee Paraphrase and to me this seemes not unlikely Josephus Austin Philo Hierome Zonaras affirme that they translated the Law or Pentateuch only Josephus affirmes this expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proem ad Antiquit and this is a received Opinion whence we have the rest is unknowne Take to this purpose the ensuing Chapter out of Drusius Observat lib. 6. chap. 9. Vulgatam Translationem Graecam non esse LXX Interpretum contrà quam olim existimatum fuit Translatio ea quae vulgo apud Graecos habetur quin LXX Interpretum non sit nemini hodie dubium esse arbitror nam si nihilaliud inumeri in ea loci sunt qui arguunt magnam Imperitiam sermonis Ebraici sed negligentiam singularem in legendo oscitantiam tantis Viris indignam qui in câ editione non videt nihil videt etsi Eusebius Hieronâ—mus passim in monumentis suis eam septuaginta interpretibus attribuere videtur Nos quoque cuÌ„ aliquid indè proferimus usitato magis quam vero nomine utimur exemplo videlicet Hieronymi quem suspicamur licet crederet Interpretationem eam à Viris illis elaboratam minime fuisse ne offenderet Graecos voluisse tamen recepto nomine semper appellare Certe quin dubetaverit super iisdem Authoribus nihil dubitamus nam vel hoc nos in eâ opinione confirmat quod scribit Josephum omnémque adeò Scholam Judaeorum quinque tantùm libros Mosis à septuaginta interpretibus translatos esse asserere scribit autem hoc non semel sed saepius ut Ezech. 5. pag. 343 pag. 301 372 Mich. 2. pag 150. Libris Antuerpiae vulgatis Drus observat lib. 6. Cap. 9. Let it be granted that such a Translation was made and that of the whole Bible by some Alexandrian Jewes as is most probable yet it is certaine that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it if left in the Library of Alexandria was consumed to ashes in Caesar's wars though Chrysostome tells us that the Prophets were placed in the Temple of Serapis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Judaeos and they abide there saith he unto this day How