Of the Divine Original, AUTHORITY, self-evidencing LIGHT, and POWER of the SCRIPTURES. With an Answer to that Enquiry, How we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God.  
Also A Vindication of the Purity and Integrity of the HEBREW and GREEK Texts of the Old and New Testament; in some Considerations on the PROLEGOMENA, & Appendix to the late BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA. Whereunto are subjoined some Exercitations about the Nature and Perfection of the Scripture, the Right of Interpretation, internal Light, Revelation, etc.  
By JOHN OWEN: D. D.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Joh. 5. 39 
OXFORD, Printed by HENRY HALL., Printer to the University, for THO: ROBINSON. 1659.   

To my Reverend and Worthy Friends, the prebend's of Ch: Church College in Oxford, with all the STVDENTS in Divinity in that Society.  
THE reason of my inscribing the ensuing pleas for the Authority, purity, and perfection of the Scripture, against the pretences of some to the contrary, in these days, unto you, is because some of you value and study the Scripture as much as any I know, and it is the earnest desire of my heart, that all of you would so do. Now whereas two things offer themselves unto me, to discourse with you by the way of Preface, namely the commendation of the Scripture, and an exhortation to the study of it on the one hand, and a discovery of the reproach that is cast upon it, with the various ways and means that are used by some for the lessening and depressing of its Authority and excellency on the other; the former being to good purpose, by one or other almost every day performed; I shall insist at present on the latter only; which also is more suited to discover my aim and intention in the ensuing discourses. Now herein as I shall, it may be, seem to exceed that proportion which is due unto a Preface to such short discourses as these following; yet I know, I shall be more brief than the nature of so great a matter as that proposed to consideration doth require. And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I shall fall upon the subject that now lies before me.  
Many there have been and are, who, through the craft of Satan, and the prejudice of their own hearts, lying under the power of corrupt and carnal Interest, have engaged themselves to decry, and disparage, that excellency of the Scripture which is proper and peculiar unto it. The several sorts of them are too many particularly to be considered, I shall only pass through them in general, and fix upon such instances by the way as may give evidence to the things insisted on.  
Those who in this business are first to be called to an account, whose filth and abominations given out in gross●, others have but parceled among themselves, are they of the Synagogue of Rome. These pretend themselves to be the only keepers and preservers of the Word of God in the world; the only ground and pillar of truth. Let us then a little consider in the first place, how it hath discharged this trust; for it is but equal that men should be called to an account upon their own principles; and those, who supposing themselves to have a trust reposed in them, do manifest a treacherous mind, would not be one whit better if they had so indeed.  
What then have these men done in the discharge of their pretended trust? nay what hath that Synagogue left unattempted? yea what hath it left unfinished, that may be needful to convince it of perfidiousness? that says the Scripture was committed to it alone, and would, if it were able, deprive all others of the possession of it or their lives; what Scripture then was this, or when was this deed of trust made unto them? The oracles of God, they tell us, committed to the Jews under the Old Testament, and all the writings of the New; and that this was done from the first foundation of the Church by Peter, and so on to the finishing of the whole Canon. What now have they not done in adding, detracting, corrupting, forging, aspersing those Scriptures to falsify their pretended trust? They add more books to them, never indicted by the Holy Ghost, as remote from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: so denying the self evidencing power of that word, which is truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by mixing it with things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of an humane rise and spring; manifesting themselves to have lost the spirit of discerning, promised with the Word, to abide with the true Church of God for ever. Isa: 59 21. They have taken from its fullness and perfection, its sufficiency and excellency, by their Massora their, oral law or verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their unknown, endless, bottomless, boundless treasure of traditions; that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all their abominations. The Scripture its self; as they say, committed to them, they plead, to their eternal shame, to be in the Original Languages corrupted, vitiated, interpolated, so that it is no stable rule to guide us throughout in the knowledge of the will of God. The Jews, they say, did it whilst they were busy in burning of Christians. Therefore in the room of the Originals, they have enthroned a translation that was never committed to them, that came into the world they know neither how, nor when, nor by whom. So that one says of its author, Si quis percontetur Gallus fuerit an Sarmata, Judaeus an Christianus, 
Erasmu●.  vir an mulier, nihil habituri sint ejus patroni quod expeditè respondeant. All this to place themselves in the throne of God, and to make the words of a Translation authentic from their stamp upon them, and not from their relation unto, and agreement with, the words spoken by God himself. And yet farther, as if all this were not enough to manifest what trusties they have been, they have cast off all subjection to the authority of God in his word, unless it be resolved into their own; denying that any man in the world can know it to be the word of God, unless they tell him so; it is but ink and paper, skin of parchment, a dead letter, a nose of wax, a Lesbian Rule, of no authority unto us at all. O faithful trusties! holy mother Church! infallible chair! can wickedness yet make any farther progress? was it ever heard of from the foundation of the world, that men should take so much pains, as these men have done, to prove themselves faithless, and treacherous in a trust committed to them? Is not this the sum and substance of volumes that have even filled the world; the Word of God was committed to us alone, and no others; under our keeping it is corrupted, depraved, vitiated; the copies delivered unto us we have rejected, and taken up one of our own choice; nor let any complain of us, it was in our power to do worse. This sacred depositum had no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereby it might be known to be the Word of God; but it is upon our credit alone, that it passes in the world, or is believed; we have added to it many books upon our own judgement, and yet think 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 thief when he is taken? nay do they not boast themselves in their iniquity? and say, they are sold to work 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 wisdom, care, love, and goodness 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 fountains.  
1. That the Scripture at best, as given out from God, and as it is to us continued, was, and is, but a partial revelation of the will of God: the other part of it, which how vast and extensive it is no man knows, (for the Jews have given us their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Mishna and Gemara; These kept them locked up in the breast, or chair of their holy Father) being reserved in their magazine of Traditions.  
2. That the Scripture is not able to evince or manifest its self to be the Word of God, so as to enjoy and exercise any Authority in his name, over the souls and consciences of men; without an accession of Testimony, from that combination of politic, worldly minded men, that call themselves the Church of Rome.  
3. That the Original copies of the Old and New Testament are so corrupted (ex ore tuo, serve nequam) that they are not a certain standard and measure of all doctrines, or the touchstone 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 alter●ation or disputes, to lay down such principles of truth, as that their Idol imaginations will be found cast to the ground before the sacred Ark of the word of God, and to lie naked without wisdom 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 Satan to draw off the minds of men from the word of God, this of decrying the authority of the Originals seems to me the most pernicious. At the beginning of the reformation, before the Council of Trent, the Papists did but faintly, and not without some blushing, defend their vulgar Latin Translation. 
1. Praef. in 5. lib. Mos. 2. In August. de Civit: Dei. lib. 15. cap. 13. 3 Defence. Conc. Tried: lib. 4. 4▪ Proleg. Biblica. 5 Praef. in Bibl: in Lat: & passim. 6 Praef. in Comment. in Josh.  Some openly preferred the Original before it, as 1 Cajetan, Erasmus, 2 Vives, and others. Yea, and after the Council also, the same was done by Andradius 3, ●erarius 4, Arias Montanus 5, Masius 6, and others. For those who understood nothing but Latin amongst them, and scarcely that, whose ignorance was provided for in the Council▪ 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, 
7 Loc. Com. lib. 1. cap. 13. 8 De oped. Gen. Interpr. lib. 1. 9 Lib. 2. de verb. Dei 10 Tom. 1. D. 5 Q. 3. 11 De Translat. Stae. cum Comment. in Jsa.  casts off its vizard and grows bold; nihil est audacius istis deprensis. At first the design was managed 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 Originals were corrupted; 
12 Epito. Controv. Contr. 1. C. 8.  some of them with more impudence than others. Leo Castrius, 
13. Dispunctio Calum. Casaub.  as Pineda observes, raves almost, where ever he falls on the mention of the Hebrew text. Sed is est Author (saith he) dumb in hujusmodi Ebraizationes incidit, 
Pined. lib. 5. de Reb. Solom. C. 4. S. 1.  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, 
Morin. Exercit. de Sincerit. Exerc. 1. c. 2.  yet shrinks a little at this man's 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 walks Huntley a subtie Jesuit, 
cap. 10. lib.  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 Latin. But these with their companions have had their mouths stopped 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 days wherein we live, it breaks out in a greater flame; they now print the Original itself, 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 Spain, this Cockatrice was not hatched, whose fruit is now growing to a flying fiery Serpent. It is now but saying the ancient Hebrew letters are changed from the samaritan to the Chaldean; the points or vowels and accents are but lately invented, of no Authority, without their guidance and direction nothing is certain 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 fabric that was ever raised by ink and paper, termed well by a learned man magnificentissimum illud (quod post homines natos in lucem prodiit unquam) opus biblicum; 
Edm. castle. Praef. ad Animad: Samar. in Bib. Poly.  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 Latin 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 lingu● circumfertur verum esse & genuinum sacrae Scripturae fontem; 
Mich. le Jay Praefat. ad opus Bibl:  hanc consulendam ubique, inde fidei dogmata repetenda; ex quo insuper consentaneum est, vera ac certissima fidei Christianae autographa in Spiritu Ecclesiae residere, neque ab ejus hostium manibus repetenda.  
Et certè quamcunque pietatis speciem praetexunt, non religione quapiam, aut sincerâ in Scripturam sacram veneratione aguntur dum eam unicam, quasi ineluctabilem salutis regulam, usurpant▪ neque spiritûs Evangelici veritatem investigare decreverunt; dum ad autographa curiosius recurrentes, ex quibus, praeter perplexa quaedam vestigia, vix aliquid superest, vel capitales fidei hosts, vel eos qui Ecclesiae minus faverint, de contextuum interpretatione a● germano sacrorum codicum sensu consulunt. Scilicet non alia est opportunior via à regio illius itinere secedendi, neque in privatarum opinionum placitis blandius possunt acquiescere, quas velut unicas doctrinae suae regulas sectari plerunque censuerunt.  
A page caecam animorum libidinem, non jam in institutionem nostram subsistit litera, sed Ecclesiae spiritus; neque è sacris codicibus hauriendum quidquam, nisi quod illa communicatum esse nobiscum voluerit. So he, or Morinus in his name; and if this be indeed the true state of things, I suppose he will very hardly convince men of the least usefulness of this great work and undertaking. To usher those bibles into the world, Morinus puts forth his Exercitations, entitled of the sincerity of the Hebrew and Greek Text, indeed to prove them corrupt and useless. He is now the man amongst them that undertakes to defend this cause: in whose writings whether there be more of Pyrgopolynices, or Rabshekah, is uncertain. But dogs that bark● loud, seldom by't deep; nor do I think many ages have produced a man of more confidence and less judgement; a prudent Reader cannot but nauseate at all his leaves, and the man is well laid open by a learned person of his own party. By the way, 
Simeon▪ de Muys Defence. ●●nc. Text. Heb.  I cannot but observe, that in the height of his boasting, he falls upon his mother Church, and embraces her to death. Ex●rcit. 1, cap. 1. pag. 11. that he might vaunt himself to be the first and only discoverer of corruptions in the original of the old Testament, with the causes of them, he falls into a profound contemplation of the guidance of his Church, which being ignorant of any such cause of rejecting the originals, as he hath now informed her of, yet continued to reject them, and prefer the vulgar latin before them hîc admirare lector (saith he) Dei spiritum ecclesiae praesentissimum, illam per obscura, perplexa, & invia quaeque, inoffenso pede agentem: quanquam incognita esset Rabbinorum supina negligentia, portentosa ignorantia, saed●que librorum Judaicorum corruptela, & Haeretici contraria his magnâ verborum pompâ audacter jactarent; adduci tamen non potuit Ecclesia, ut versio, quâ solâ per mille ferè & centum annos usa fuerit, ad normam & amussim Hebraei textus iterum recuderetur. But is it so indeed, that their Church receives its guidance in a stupid brutish manner, so as to be fixed obstinately on conclusions, without the least acquaintance with the premises? it seems she loved not the Originals, but she knew not why; only she was obstinate in this, that she loved them not. I If this be the state with their Church, that when it hath neither Scripture, nor Tradition, nor Reason, nor New Revelation, she is guided she knows not how, as Socrates was by his Daemon, or by secret and inexpressible species of pertinacy and stubbornness falling upon her imagination; I suppose it will be in vain to contend with her any longer. For my own part I must confess, that I shall as soon believe a poor deluded fanatical Quaker, pretending to be guided by an infallible Spirit, as their Pope with his whole conclave of Cardinals, upon the terms here laid down by Morinus.  
But to let these men pass for a season; had this leprosy kept itself within that house which is throughly infected, it had been of less importance: it is but a farther preparation of it for the Fire. But it is now broken forth among Protestants also; with what design, to what end or purpose, I know not, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God knows, and the day will manifest. To declare at large how this is come about, longa esset Historia; too long for me to dwell upon; some heads of things I shall briefly touch at. It is known to all, ●hat the Reformation of Religion, and restauration of good learning were begun, and carried on at the same time, and mostly by the same persons. There was indeed a Triumvirate among the Papists of men excellently skilled in rabbinical learning before the Reformation. Raymundus Martinus, Porchetus de sylvaticis, and Petrus Galatinus, are the men; of the which, the last dedicated his book to Maximilian the Emperor, after that Zuinglius and Luther had begun to preach. Upon the matter these three are but one: great are the disputes, whether Galatinus stole his book from Raymundus or Porchetus; from Porchetus, saith Morinus, and calls his work plagium portentosum, cui vix simile unquam factum est: Exerc: 1. Cap. 2. from Raymundus, saith Scaliger, Epist. 2. 41. mistaking Raymundus Martinus for Raymundus Sebon; but giving the first tidings to the world of that book. From Raymundus also, saith Josephus de Voysin in his prolegom: to the Pugio fidei, and from him Hornebeck in his Proleg. ad Judae. I shall not interpose in this matter, the method of Galatinus and his stile are peculiar to him, but the coincidence of his Quotations too many to be ascribed to common Accident. That Porchetus took his Victoria adversus impios Judaeos for the most part from Raymundus, himself confesseth in his Preface. However certain it is, Galatinus had no small opinion of his own skill, and therefore, according to the usual way of men, who have attained, as they think, to some Eminency in any one kind of learning, laying more weight upon it than it is able to bear, he boldly affirms, that the Original of the Scripture is corrupted, and not to be restored but by the Talmud; In which one concession he more injures the cause he pleads for against the Jews, than he advantageth it by all his books beside. Of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Rabbena Haskadosh there is no more news as yet in the world, than what he is pleased to acquaint us withal. At the same time Erasmus, Reuchlin, Vives, Xantes, Pagninus, and others, moved effectually for the restauration of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. But the work principally prospered in the hands of the first Reformers, as they were all of them generally skilled in the Hebrew, so some of them as Capito, Bibliander, Fagius, Munster to that Height and usefulness, that they may well be reckoned as the Fathers and Patriarches of that learning. At that time lived Elias Levita, the most learned of the Jews of that Age, whose Grammatical writings were of huge importance in the studying of that tongue. This man as he was acquainted with many of the first Reformers, so he lived particularly with Paulus ●agius, as I have else where declared. Now in one book, which in those days he published, called Massorech, Hammasoreth, he broached a new opinion, not much heard of, at least not at all received among the Jews, nor for aught that yet appears, once mentioned by Christians before, namely that the points or vowels, and accents used in the Hebrew Bible, were invented by some critical Jew or Massorite, living at Tiberias about 5 or 600 years after Christ: no doubt the mans●ime ●ime was to reduce the world of Christians to a dependence on the ancient Rabbins, for the whole sense of the Scripture; Hinc prima mali labes, Here lies the first breach in this matter. The fraud being not discovered, and this opinion being broached and confirmed by the great and almost only master of the language of that Age, some even of the first Reformers embraced his fancy. Perhaps Zuinglius had spoken to it before: justly I know not. After a while the poison of this error beginning to operate, the Papists waiting on the mouths of the Reformers, like the servants of Benhadad on Ahab, to catch at every word that might fall from them to their advantage, beg an to make use of it. Hence Cochlaeus, lib. de Auth. Scripturae, Cap. 5. applauds Luther, for saying the Jews had corrupted the Bible with Points and distinctions, as well he might, for nothing could be spoken more to the advantage of his cause against him. Wherefore other learned men began to give opposition to this Error; so did Munster, Junius, and others, as will be showed in the ensuing discourse. Thus this matter rested for a season. The study of the Hebrew tongue and learning being carried on, it fell at length on him, who undoubtedly hath done more real Service for the promotion of it, than any one man whatever, Jew or Christian. I mean Buxtorsius the Elder; his Thesaurus Grammaticus, his Tiberias, or Commentarius Massorethicus, his Lexicons and Concordan●es, and many other Treatises, whereof some are not yet published, evince this to all the world. Even Morinus saith that he is the only man among Christians, that ever throughly understood the Massora; and simeon de Muys acknowledgeth his profiting by him, and learning from him; Other Jews who undertake to be teachers, know nothing but what they learn of him. To omit the Testimony of all sorts of learned men, giving him the pre-eminence in this learning, it may suffice that his works praise him. Now this man in his Tiberias or Commentarius Massorethicus, printed with the great rabbinical Bible of his own correct setting forth at Basil, An. 1620, considereth at large this wh●l matter of the points, and discovereth the vanity of Elias his pretention about the Tiberian Massorites. But we must not it seems rest here: within a few years after, to make way for another design, which then he had conceived; Ludovicus Capellus published a discourse in the defence of the opinion of Elias, (at least so far as concerned the rise of the punctation) under the Title of Arcanum punctationis revelatum. The book was published by Erpenius without the name of the Author. But the Person was sufficiently known; and Rivetus not long after took notice of him, and saith he was his friend, but concealed his name. Isag. ad Scr. 1. cap. 8. This new attempt immediately pleaseth some. Among others, our learned Professor Dr. Prideaux reads a public Lecture on the Vespers of our Comitia on that subject; wherein though he prefaceth his discourse with an observation of the advantage the Papists make of that opinion of the novelty of the points, and the danger of it, yet upon the matter he falls in wholly with Capellus, though he name him not. Among the large Encomiums of himself, and his work, printed by Capellus in the close of his Critica sacra, there are two Letters from one Mr. Eyre here in England, in one whereof he tells him, that without doubt the Doctor read on that subject by the help of his book; as indeed he useth his Arguments, & quotes his Treatise, under the name of Sud Hanisebhoth Hanaegalah. But that (I say) which seems to me most admirable in the Doctor's discourse is, that whereas he had prefaced it with the weight of the controversy he had in hand, by the advantage the Papists make of the opinion of the novelty of the Points, citing their words to that purpose, himself in the body of his exercitations falls in with them, and speaks the very things which he seemed before to have blamed. And by this means this opinion tending so greatly to the disparagement of the Authority of the Originals, is crept in amongst Protestants also. Of the stop put unto its progress by the full and learned Answer of Buxtorfius the younger (who alone in this learning, in this age, seems to answer his Father's worth) unto Capellus, in his discourse de origine & antiquitate Punctorum, I shall speak more afterwards. However it is not amiss fallen out that the masters of this new persuasion are not at all agreed among themselves. Capellus would have it easy to understand the Hebrew text, and every word, though not absolutely by itself, yet as it lies in its contexture, though there were no points at all. Morinus would make the language altogether unintelligible on that account; the one saith, that the points are a late invention of the Rabbins, and the other, that without them, the understanding of the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yet though they look divers ways, there is a firebrand between them. But we have this Brand brought yet nearer to the Church's bread corn, in the prolegomena to the Biblia Polyglotta, lately printed at London. The solemn Espousal of this opinion of the Hebrew punctation, in that great work, was one chief occasion of the second discourse, as you will find it at large declared in the entrance of it. I dare not mention the desperate consequences that attend this imagination, being affrighted among other things, by a little Treatise lately sent me (upon the occasion of a discourse on this subject) by my worthy and learned friend Dr. Ward, entitled fides divina, wherein its Author, who ever he be, from some principles of this Nature, and unwary Expressions of some learned men amongst us, labours to eject and cast out as useless the whole Scripture or word of God. I should have immediately returned an answer to that pestilent discourse, but that upon consideration, I found all his objections obviated or answered in the ensuing, treatises, which were then wholly finished. And this, as I said, was the first way whereby the poison of undervaluing the Originals crept in among Protestants themselves.  
Now together with the knowledge of the tongues, the use of that knowledge in Critical observations, did also increase. The excellent use of this study and employment, with the fruits of it in the explanation of sundry difficulties, with many other advantages, cannot be easily expressed. But as the best things are apt to be most abused, so in particular it hath fall'n out with this kind of learning and study. Protestants here also have chiefly managed the business. Beza, Camerarius, Scaliger, Casaubon, D●usius, Gomarus, Ʋsher, Grotius, Hensius, Fuller, Dieu, Mede, Camero, Glasius, Capellus, Amama, with innumerable others, have excelled in this kind. But the mind of man being exceedingly vainglorious, curious, uncertain, after a door to reputation and renown, by this kind of learning was opened in the world, it quickly spread its self over all bounds and limits of Sobriety. The manifold inconveniences, if not mischiefs, that have ensued on the boldness and curiosity of some in criticising on the Scripture, I shall not now insist upon; and what it might yet grow unto, I have often heard the great Usher, expressing his fear. Of the success of Grotius in this way we have a solid account weekly in the Lectures of our learned Professor, which I hope, he will in due time benefit the Public withal. But it is only one or two things that my present design calls me upon to remark.  
Among other ways that sundry men have fixed on to exercise their critical abilities, one hath been the collecting of various lections both in the old Testament and New. The first and honestest course fixed on to this purpose, was that of consulting various copies, and comparing them among themselves; wherein yet there were sundry miscarriages, as I shall show in the second treatise. This was the work of Erasmus, Stephen, Beza, Arias Montanus, and some others; some that came after them finding this Province possessed, and no other world of the like nature remaining for them to conquer, fixed upon another way, substituting to the service of their design, as pernicious a principle, as ever I think was fixed on by any learned man since the foundation of the Church of Christ, excepting only those of Rome. Now this principle is that upon many grounds, which some of them are long in recounting: there are sundry corruptions crept into the Originals, which by their critical faculty, with the use of sundry Engines, those especially of the Old Translations are to be discovered and removed. And this also receives countenance from these Prolegomena to the Biblia Polyglotta, as will afterwards be shown and discussed. Now this principle being once fixed, and a liberty of criticising on the Scripture, yea a necessity of it thence evinced, it is inconceiveable what springs of corrections and amendments rise up under their hands. Let me not be thought tedious if I recount some of them to you.  
1 It is known that there is a double Consonancy in the Hebrew Consonants among themselves; of some in figure that are unlike in sound, of some in sound that are unlike in figure, of the first sort are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the latter are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Now this is one principle of our new Critics, that the Scribes of the Bible were sometimes mistaken by the likeness of the Letters, in respect of figure, sometimes by their likeness in respect of sound; and so remembering the words they wrote, oftentimes put one for another; so that whether they used their Eyes, or their Memories, they failed on one hand or another; though the Jews deny any Copy amongst them to be written but exactly by pattern, or that it is lawful for a man to write one word in a Copy, but by pattern, though he could remember the words of the whole Bible: now whereas the signification of every word is regulated by its radix, it often falls out, that in the formation and inflexion of words, by reason of letters that are defective, there remains but one letter of the Radix in them, at least that is pronounced: How frequent this is in this tongue, those who have very little skill in it, may guess by only taking a view of Frobenius his Bible, wherein the Radical letters are printed in a distinct character, from all the praefixes and affixes in their variations. Now if a man hath a mind to criticise and mend the Bible, it is but taking his word, or words, that he will fix upon, & try what they will make by the commutation of the letters that are alike in figure or sound. Let him try what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will do in the place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or on the contrary; which as they are radical, or as they are prefixed, will sufficiently alter the sense; and so of all the rest mentioned. If by this means any new sense that is tolerable, and pleaseth the Critic, doth emerge, it is but saying the Scribe was mistaken in the likeness of the Letters, or in the affinity of the sound, and then it is no matter, though all the Copies in the world agree to the contrary, without the least variation. It is evident that this course hath stood Capellus and Grotius in very good stead. And simeon de Muys tells us a pretty story of himself to this purpose. de Heb. Edit. Antiq. & Verit. S. S. Yea this is the most eminent spring of the Criticisms on the old Testament, that these times afford: a thousand instances might be given to this purpose.  
2. But in case this course fail, and no relief be afforded this way, than the transposition of Letters offers its assistance; those who know any thing in this language, know what alteration in the sense of words may be made by such a way of procedure, frequently words of contrary senses, directly opposite consist only of the same Letters diversely placed. Every Lexicon will supply men with instances, that need not to be here repeated.  
3. The points are taken into consideration; and here bold men may even satisfy their curiosity. That word, or those three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are instanced in by Hierome to this purpose, Hom. 9 12: as it may be printed it will afford 8 several senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is verbum & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pestis; as far distant from one another as life and death; those letters in that order may be read with— and— and— and— and—, the Jews give instances how by this means, men may destroy the world. But  
4. Suppose that this ground proves barren also, it is but going to an old Translation, the 70, or vulgar Latin, and where any word likes us, to consider what Hebrew word answers unto it, and if it discovers an agreement in any one Letter, in Figure or sound, with the word in that Text, then to say that so they read in that copy; yea rather then fail, be the word as far different from what is read in the Bible as can be imagined, aver it to yield the more convenient sense, and a various lection is found out.  
And these are the chief heads and springs of the criticisms on the old Testament, which with so great a reputation of learning men have boldly obtruded on us of late days. It is not imaginable what prejudice the Sacred truth of the Scripture, preserved by the infinite love and care of God, hath already suffered hereby, and what it may further suffer, for my part, I cannot but tremble to think. Lay but these two Principles together, namely that the points are a late invention of some Judaical Rabbins, (on which account there is no reason in the world that we should be bound unto them) and that it is lawful to gather various Lections by the help of Translations, where there are no diversities in our present Copies, which are owned in the Prolegomena to the Biblia Polyglotta, and for my part I must needs cry cut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as not seeing any means of being delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all sacred truth. Those who have more wisdom & learning, & are able to look throng all the digladiations that are likely to ensue on these principles, I hope will rather take pains to instruct me, and such as I am, then be angry or offended with us, that we are not so wise or learned as themselves. In the mean time I desire those who are shaken in mind by any of the specious pretences of Capellus and others, to consider the specimen, given us, of reconciling the difficulties, that they lay as the ground of their conjectures in the miscellany notes, or Exercitations of the learned Mr Pocock; as useful and learned a work as is extant in that kind, in so few sheets of paper. The dangerous and causeless attempts of men, to rectify our present copies of the Bible, the Reader may there also find discovered and confuted.  
But we have not as yet done; there is a new invention of Capellus, greatly applauded amongst the men of these opinions. He tells us lib. 6. c. 10. Crit. S●cr: Planum est omnem quae hodiè est in terrarum orbe linguae Hebraicae cognitionem servandam tandèm esse & ascribendam Graecae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 70. Sacrorum Bibliorum translationi. This is greedily taken up by Morinus (as nothing could be spoken more to his purpose) who also tells us, that the learned Prefacer to these Biblia Polyglotta is of the same judgement; Morin: Praefat: ad opusc. Haebr: Samarit. Hereupon he informs us, that in the Translation of the Pentateuch he went for the meaning of sundry words unto Hierome, and the Translation of the 70. But it is not unknown to these learned persons, that Hierome, whom one of them makes his rule; tells us over and over, that notwithstanding the Translation of the 70. he had his knowledge of the Hebrew Tongue, from the Hebrew itself; and the help of such Hebrews as he hired to his assistance. And for Capellus, is not that the Helena for which he contends, and upon the matter the only foundation of his sacred work of Criticising on the Scripture, that there was a succession of learned men of the Jews at Tiberias until an hundred years after Hierome, who invented the Points of the Hebrew Bible, and that not in an arbitrary manner, but according to the tradition they had received from them who spoke that language in its purity? shall these men be thought to have had the knowledge of the Hebrew tongue from the Translation of the 70; Certainly they would not then have hated it so, as he informs us they did. But this thing is plainly ridiculous. The Language gives us the knowledge of itself. Considering the helps that by providence have been in all Ages, and at all times afforded thereunto, ever since the time wherein Capellus says, some knew it so well, as to invent and affix the present Punctation, there hath been a succession of living or dead Masters to further the knowledge of it. And this will not seem strange to them who have given us exact Translations of the Persian, and Aethhiopic pieces of Scripture. In the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are little assisted by the 70. The chiefest seeming help unto this tongue is from the Arabic. And thus have I given you a brief account, how by the subtlety of Satan, there are principles crept in, even amongst Protestants, undermining the Authority of the Hebrew verity, as it was called of Old; wherein Jerusalem hath justified Samaria, and cleared the Papists in their reproaching of the Word of God. Of the New Testament I shall speak particularly in the second discourse ensuing. Morinus indeed tells us, de Heb: & Graec: Tex: Sincerit. Exercitat: 1. cap: 1. p. 5. it is a jocular thing that the Heretics in their Disputations do grant, that there are Corruptions, and various Lections in the Greek & Latin copies of the Scripture, but deny it as to the Hebrew: but why, I pray, is this so ridiculous? It is founded on no less stable bottom than this experience, that whereas we evidently find various lections in the Greek copies which we enjoy, and so grant that which ocular Inspection evinces to be true; yet although men discover such virulent and bitter spirits against the Hebrew Text, as this Morinus doth, calling all men fools or knaves that contend for its purity, yet they are none of them able to show out of any Copies yet extant in the World, or that they can make appear ever to have been extant, that ever there were any such various lections in the Originals of the Old Testament. And is there any reason that we should be esteemed Ridiculous, because believing our own eyes, we will not also believe the Testimony of same few men of no credit with us, asserting that for truth, which we have abundant cause to believe to be utterly false; But of these men so far.  
I thought at the Entrance of my discourse to have also insisted on some other ways, whereby Satan in these days assaults the sacred truth of the Word of God in its Authority, Purity, Integrity, or Perfection; especially in the Poor, Deluded, Fanatical souls amongst us, commonly called Quakers. For the instruction of the younger sort, against whose abominations I have subjoined the Theses in the Close of the other Treatises. But I am sensible how far already I have exceeded the bounds of a Preface unto so small Treatises as these ensuing; and therefore giving a brief account of my undertaking in this Cause of God and his Word, for the vindication of the Authority and Integrity of it, I shall put a Close to this discourse.  
It may be some of you have heard me professing my unwillingness to appear any more in the World this way. I have not in some things met with such pleasing Entertainment, as to encourage me unto it: where I have been for Peace, others have made themselves ready for war. Some of them, especially 
* M. G. F.  one of late, neither understanding me, nor the things that he writes about, but his mind for opposition was to be satisfied. This is the manner of not a few in their writings; they measure other men by their own ignorance, and what they know not themselves, they think is hid to others also; Hence when any thing presents its self new to their minds; as though they were the first that knew, what they than first know, and which they have only an obscure glimpse of, they rest not until they have published it to their praise. Such are the discourses of that person, partly trivial, partly obviated and rendered utterly useless to his purpose by that treatise, which he ventured weakly to oppose. I wish I could prevail with those, whose interest compels them to choose rather to be ignorant, then to be taught by me, to let my books alone. Another after two or three years' consideration, in answer to a book of near 140 sheets of paper, returns a scoffing reply to so much of it, 
Mr. I. G.  as was written in a quarter of an hour. I am therefore still minded to abstain from such Engagements. And I think I may say if there were less writing by some, there would be more reading by others, at least to more purpose. Many books full of profound learning lie neglected, whilst men spend their time on Trifles; And many things of great Worth are suppressed by their Authors, whilst things of no value are poured out, one on the neck of another. One of yourselves I have often solicited for the Publishing of some Divinity lectures, 
Dr. Henry Wilkinson public Reader of Divinity in the University.  read at solemn times in the University, which, if I know aught, are, to say no more, worthy of public view. I yet Hope a short time will answer my desire and expectation. Of my present Undertaking there are 3 parts. The first is a Subject that having preached on, I was by many urged to publish my thoughts upon it, judging it might be useful: I have answered their requests; what I have performed through the grace of Christ in the work undertaken, is left to the judgement of the Godly learned Reader. The second concerns the Prolegomena and Appendix to the late Biblia Polyglotta: of this I said often, ab alio quovis hoc fieri mallem, quam à me, sed à me tamen potius quam à nemine. The reasons of my engaging in that work are declared at large in the entrance of it. The theses in the close were drawn in by their affinity in Subject to the other discourses, and to complete the doctrine of the Scripture concerning the Scripture, I endeavoured to comprise in them the whole truth about the Word of God, as to name & thing opposed by the poor fanatical Quakers, as also to discover the Principles they proceed upon in their Confused opposition to that Truth.  
I have no more to add, but only begging I may have the Continuance of your prayers, and assistance in your several stations, for the carrying on the work of our Lord and Master in this place committed unto us, that I may give my account with joy and not with Grief, to him that stands at the door, I commend you to the powerful word of his Grace; and remain  
Your fellow labourer and Brother in 
 our dear Lord Jesus. 
 I. O. From my study, 
 Septemb. 22. 1658.   

Of the Divine Original, with the Authority, self evidencing Power, and Light of the Holy Scriptures.  

CHAP. I.  
The Divine Original of the Scripture, the sole foundation of its Authority, The Original of the old Testament, Heb. 1. 11. Several ways of immediate Revelation. The peculiar manner of the Revelation of the word. Considerations thereon. Various expressions of that way, 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. The written word, as written, preserved by the Providence of God. Capellus' opinion about various lections considered. The Scripture not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The true meaning of that Expression. How the word came of old, and how it was received. Entirely from God to the least Title. Of the Scriptures of the New Testament and their peculiar prerogative.  
Sect. 1. THAT the whole Authority of the Scripture in its self, depends solely on its Divine Original, is confessed by all who acknowledge its Authority. The evincing and declaration of that Authority, being the thing at present aimed at; The discovery of its divine Spring and Rise, is in the first place, necessarily to be premised thereunto. That foundation being once laid, we shall be able to educe our following Reasonings and Arguments, wherein we aim more at weight than number, from their own proper Principles.  
Sect. 2. As to the Original of the Scripture of the Old Testament, it is said God SPOKE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 1. 1; of old, or formerly in the Prophets. From the days of Moses the Lawgiver, and downwards, unto the consignation and bounding of the Canon delivered to the Judaical Church, in the days of Ezra and his companions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the great Congregation, so God spoke. This being done only among the Jews, they as his Church, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 3. 2, 9, 4. were entrusted with the Oracles of God. God spoke, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (chrysostom, Theophilact) in for by: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the Prophets, as Luk. 1. 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, by the mouth of the Holy Prophets; But there seems to be somewhat farther intended in this Expression.  
Sect. 3. In the Exposition, or giving out the eternal Counsel of the Mind & Will of God unto men, there is considerable his speaking unto the Prophets, and his speaking by them, unto us. In this expression, it seems to be, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or filia vocis, that voice from heaven that came to the Prophets which is understood. So God spoke in the Prophets, and in reference thereunto there is Propriety in that Expression, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ in the Prophets. Thus the Psalms are many of them said to be, To this, or that man. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Golden psalm to David; that is, from the Lord; and from thence their tongue was as the Pen of a writer, Psal. 45. 1. So God spoke in them, before he spoke by them.  
Sect. 4. The various ways of special Revelation, by Dreams, Visions, Audible voices, Inspirations, with that peculiar one of the Law giver under the Old Testament, called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face to face, Exod. 33. 11. Deut. 34. 10: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb. 11. 8; with that which is compared with it, and exalted above it, (Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3.) in the New, by the Son, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from the bosom of the father, Joh. 1. 17. 18, are not of my present consideration, all of them belonging to the manner of the thing enquired after, not the thing its self.  
Sect. 5. By the Assertion then laid down of God speaking in the Prophets of old, from the beginning to the End of that long tract of time, consisting of 1000 years, wherein he gave out the writings of the old Testament; Two things are ascertained unto us, which are the foundation of our present discourse.  
Sect. 6. 1 That the Laws they made known, the Doctrines they delivered, the Instructions they gave, the Stories they recorded, the Promises of Christ, the Prophecies of Gospel times they gave out, and revealed, were not their own, not conceived in their minds, not form by their Reasonings, not retained in their memories from what they had heard not by any means before hand comprehended by them, (1 Pe. 1. 10, 11.) but were all of them immediately from God; there being only a passive concurrence of their rational faculties in their Reception, without any such active obedience, as by any Law they might be obliged unto. Hence,  
Sect. 7. 2ly God was so with them, and by the Holy Ghost so spoke in them, as to their receiving of the word from him, and their delivering of it unto others by speaking or writing, as that they were not themselves enabled by any habitual light, knowledge or Conviction of Truth, to declare his Mind and Will, but only acted, as they were immediately moved by him. Their Tongue in what they said, or their hand in what they wrote, was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more at their own disposal, than the Pen is, in the hand of an expert Writer.  
Sect. 8. Hence, as far as their own Personal concernments, as Saints, and Believers did lie in them, they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to make a diligent inquiry into and investigation of the things, which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Spirit of Christ, that spoke in themselves did signify, 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Without this, though their Visions were express, so that in them their eyes were said to be open, Numb. 24. 3, 4; yet they understood them not. Therefore also, they studied the writings and Prophecies of one another, Dan. 9 2. Thus they attained a saving useful habitual knowledge of the Truths delivered by themselves and others, by the Illumination of the Holy Ghost, through the study of the Word, even s●we, Psal. 119, 104. But as to the receiving of the Word from God, as God spoke in them, they obtained nothing by study or Meditation by enquiry or Reading, Amos. 7. 15. Whether we consider the matter, or manner of what they received, and delivered, or their receiving and delivering of it, they were but as an instrument of Music, giving a sound according to the hand, intention, and skill of him that strikes it.  
Sect. 9 This is variously expressed. Generally it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word was to this, or that Prophet, which we have rendered, the word came unto them. Ezek. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came expressly; essendo fuit; It had a subsistence given unto it, or an effectual in-being, by the Spirits entering into him, vers. 14. Now this coming of the Word unto them, had oftentimes such a Greatness, and Expression of the Majesty of God upon it, as it filled them with dread and Reverence of him, Heb. 3. 16, and also greatly affected even their outward man, Dan. 8. 27. But this dread and terror (which Satan strove to imitate, in his filthy Tripodes, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) was peculiar to the Old Testament, and belonged to the pedagogy thereof; Herald 12. 18, 19, 20, 21. The Spirit in the declaration of the New Testament, gave out his mind and will in a way of more Liberty and Glory. 2 Cor. 3. The expr●ssnesse and immediacy of Revelation was the same; but the manner of it related more to that glorious liberty in fellowship and Communion with the Father, whereunto Believers had then an access provided them by Jesus Christ. Heb. 9 8. Ch. 10. 19, 20. Ch. 12. 23, 24. So our Saviour tells his Apostles. Mat. 10. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; you are not the Speakers of what you deliver, as other men are, the figment and imagination of whose hearts are the fountain of all that they speak; And he adds this reason▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; The Spirit of the Father (is) he that speaketh in you. Thus the Word that came unto them, was a Book which they took in, and gave out without any alteration of one tittle or syllable. Ezek. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11. Chap. 3. 3. Revel. 10. 9, 10, 11.  
Sect. 10. Moreover, when the Word was thus come to the Prophets, and God had spoken in them, it was not in their power to conceal it, the hand of the Lord being strong upon them. They were not now only on a general account to utter the Truth they were made acquainted withal, and to speak the things they had heard and seen, which was their common Preaching work according to the analogy of what they had received. Act. 4. 20; but also the very individual Words that they had received were to be declared. When the word was come to them, it was as a fire within them, that must be delivered, or it would consume them. Psal. 39 3. Jer. 20. 9 Amos. 3. 8. Chap, 7. 15, 16. So Jonah found his attempt to hide the Word that he had received, to be altogether vain.  
Sect. 11. Now because these things are of great importance and the foundation of all that doth ensue; namely the discovery that the Word is come forth unto us from God, without the least mixture or intervenience of any medium obnoxious to fallibility, (as is the wisdom, Truth, Integrity, knowledge, and memory, of the best, of all men,) I shall further consider it from one full and eminent declaration thereof, given unto us, 2 Pet. 1. 20, 21. The words of the Holy Ghost are; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation; for the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but Holy men of God spoke, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  
Sect. 12. That which he speaks of is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; The Prophecy of Scripture, or written Prophecy.  
There were then traditions among the Jews, to whom Peter wrote exalting themselves into competition with the written Word, which not long after got the Title of an or all Law, pretending to have its Original from God. These the Apostle tacitly condemns; and also shows under what formality he considered that, which vers. 19 he termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word of Prophecy; namely as WRITTEN. The written word, as such, is that whereof he speaks. Above 50 times is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the New Testament put absolutely for the Word of God. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so used in the Old, for the Word of Prophecy; 2 Chron. 21. 12. It is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16; The Writing, or Word written, is by inspiration from God. Not only the Doctrine in it, but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its self, or the Doctrine as written, is so from him.  
Sect. 13. Hence the Providence of God hath manifested its self no less concerned in the preservation of the writings than the doctrine contained in them. The writing its self being the Product of his own eternal counsel for the preservation of the Doctrine, after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other means for that End and purpose. And hence the malice of Satan hath raged no less against the Book, than the Truth contained in it. The dealings of Antiochus under the old Testament, and of sundry persecuting Emperors under the new, evince no less. And it was no less crime of old to be Traditor libri, than to be Abnegator fidei. The reproach of Chartacea scripta, and membranae (Coster: Enchirid: Cap. 1.) reflects on its Author. 
* Haebraea volumina nec in una dictione corrupta invenies. Sant. Pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mat. 5. 18.  It is true we have not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses and the Prophets, of the Apostles and Evangelists; but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have, or copies contain every iota that was in them.  
Sect. 14. It is no doubt but that in the Copies we now enjoy of the old Testament there are some divers readings, or various lections. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
a Reading, in the margin, and writing, in the line.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 
b Correctio scribarum, or the amendment of some small apicu●i in 18 places.  The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
c Ablatio scribarum or a note of the redundancy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 5 places. Vid Raymond: pugio fid. Petru● Galat lib: ●: cap: 8:  (for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are are of another nature) the various lections of Ben-Asher or Rabbi Aaron the Son of Rabbi Moses of the tribe of Asher, & Ben Nepthali, or R: Moses the Son of David of the Tribe of Nepthali; of the East and Western Jews, which we have collected at the End of the great Bible with the Masora, evince it. But yet we affirm that the whole Word of God, in every Letter and Title, as given from him by Inspiration, is preserved without Corruption. Where there is any variety it is always in things of less, indeed of no importance. 
Haebraei. V. T. Codices per universum terrarum orbem, per Europam, Afiam & A fricam, ubique sibi sunt similes, eodémque modo ab omnibus scribuntur & leguntur; si forte exiguas quas●ā apiculorum quorundam differentias excipias, quae ipsae tamen nullam vari●tatem efficiunt. ●uxtorf. Vindic. Ver. Heb. 2. cap. 14.  God by his Providence preserving the whole entire, suffered this lesser variety to fall out, in or among the copies we have, for the quickening and exercising of our diligence in our search into his Word.  
Sect. 15. It was an unhappy Attempt (which must afterwards be spoken unto) that a learned man hath of late put himself upon, 
Lud. Capell. Crit. Sac.  namely, to prove variations in all the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the old Testament in the Hebrew Tongue from the Copies used of old, merely upon uncertain conjectures, and the credit of corrupt Translations. Whether that Plea of his be more unreasonable in its self & devoid of any real ground of Truth, or injurious to the Love and care of God over his Word and Church, I know not sure I am, it is both in an high degree. The Translation especially insisted on by him, is that of the LXX. That this Translation either from the mistakes of its first Authors (if it be theirs, whose name and number it bears) or the carelessness or ignorance, or worse of its Transcribers, is corrupted and gone off from the original in a 1000 places twice told, is acknowledged by all who know aught of these things. Strange that so corrupt a stream should be judged a fit means to cleanse the fountain. That such a Lesbian Rule should be thought a fit measure to correct the original by; and yet on the account hereof, with some others not one whit better, or scarce so Good, we have 1826 various lections exhibited unto us, with frequent insinuations of an infinite number more yet to be collected. It were desirable that men would be content to show their learning, Reading and diligence, about things where there is less danger in Adventures.  
Nor is the relief He provides against the charge of bringing things to an uncertainty in the Scripture, which he found himself obnoxious unto less pernicious than the opinion he seeks to palliate thereby; although it be since taken up and approved 
a Proleg. ad Bibl. polyglot.  by others. 
b Satis ergo est quod eadem salutaris doctrina quae fuit à Mose●, Prophetis, Apostolis ●t Evangelistis in suis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primum literis confignata, eadem omnino pariter in Toxtibus Graeco & Hebraeo, & in Translationibus cum ve●eribus, tum recentibus, clarè certò & sufficienter inveni●tur. Pariter illae omnes unà cum Textibus Gr●eco & Hebrae● sunt & dici possunt Authenticae, sacrae, Divinae, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉— respectu materiae etc. Sunt in Scriptures multa alia non usque aleo 〈◊〉 necessaria, &c Capel. Critic. Sac. l. 6. cap. 5. §. 10, 11.  The Saving Doctrine of the Scripture, He tells us, as to the matter and substance of it, in all things of moment it is preserved in the Copies of the original, and Translations that do remain.  
Sect. 17. It is indeed a great Relief, against the inconvenience of corrupt Translations, to consider that although some of them be bad enough, yet if all the Errors and mistakes that are to be found in all the rest, should be added to the worst of all, yet every necessary saving fundamental truth, would be found sufficiently testified unto therein. But to depress the sacred Truth of the originals, into such a condition, as wherein it should stand in need of this Apology, and that without any colour or pretence from discrepancies in the Copies themselves that are extant, or any tolerable evidence that there ever were any other, in the least differing from these extant in the world, will at length be found a work unbecoming a Christian Protestant Divine. Besides the injury done hereby to the Providence of God towards his Church, and care of his Word, It will not be found so easy a matter, upon a supposition of such corruption in the Originals as is pleaded for, to evince unquestionably that the whole saving doctrine its self, at first given out from God, continues entire and incorrupt. The nature of this doctrine is such, that there is no other Principle or means of its discovery, no other Rule or measure of judging and determining any thing about or concerning it, but only the writing from whence it is taken: it being wholly of divine Reeulation, and that Revelation being expressed only in that writing. Upon any corruption than supposed therein, there is no means of rectifying it. It were an easy thing to correct a mistake or corruption in the transcription of any Problem or Demonstration of Euclid, or any other ancient Mathematician, from the consideration of the things themselves about which they treat, being always the same, and in their own nature equally exposed to the knowledge and understanding of men, in all Ages. In things of pure Revelation, whose knowledge depends solely on their Revelation, it is not so. Nor is it enough to satisfy us, that the doctrines mentioned are preserved entire; every Tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Word of God, must come under our care and consideration, as being as such from God; But of these things we shall Treat afterwards at large; return we now to the Apostle.  
Sect. 17. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this written Prophecy, this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; is not of any private Interpretation. Some think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which according to Hesychius denotes Afflation, inspiration, conception within; so Calvin; In this sense the importance of the words, is the same with what I have already mentioned; namely that the Prophets had not their private conceptions, or self fancied Enthusiasms of the things they spoke. To this Interpretation assents Grotius. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is reckoned amongst the various Lections that are gathered out of him, in the Appendix to the Biblia polyglotta. Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is the other side of that usual expression, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Camero contends for the retaining of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and justly. We begin a little to late to see, whether men's bold Conjectures in correcting the Original Text of the Scriptures are like to proceed. Her's no colour for a various Lection; one Copy it seems by Stephen read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; without ground, by an evident error; and such mistakes are not to be allowed the name or place of various Readins. But yet says Camero, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a Resolution and Interpretation as is made by Revelation. He adds that in that sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by the 70, in the business of Joseph's Interpretation of Pharaoh's Dream, Gen. 40; which was by Revelation. But indeed the word is not used in that Chapter. However he falls in with this sense, (as do Calvin and Grotius) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is not to be referred to our Interpretation of the Prophets, but to the Way and manner of their receiving the Counsel and Will of God.  
Sect. 18. And indeed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for an Interpretation of the Word of prophecy given out by writing, as our Translation bears it, is an Expression that can scarcely have any tolerable sense affixed unto it; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relates here, to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and denotes the first giving out of its Word, not our after consideration of its sense and meaning. And without this sense it stands in no coherence with, nor opposition to, the following sentence, which by its causal connexion to this, manifests that it renders a Reason of what is herein affirmed, in the first place; and in the latter, turning with the adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an opposition unto it: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; for Prophecy came not at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. What Reason is in the first part of this verse, why the Scripture is not of our private interpretation? or what opposition in the latter to that Assertion? Nay on that supposal, there is no tolerable, correspondency of discourse in the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But take the Word to express the coming of the Prophecy to the Prophets themselves, and the sense is full and Clear.  
Sect. 19 This then is the intention of the Apostle; the Prophecy which we have written, the Scripture, was not an issue of men's fancied Enthusiasms; not a product of their own minds and Conceptions, not an Interpretation of the Will of God by the understanding of man, that is of the Prophets themselves; neither their rational apprehensions, Inquiries, conceptions of fancy, or Imaginations of their hearts, had any place in this business; no self Afflation, no rational meditation managed at liberty by the understandings & Wills of men, had place herein.  
Sect. 20. Of this, saith the Apostle, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; knowing, judging, and determining this in the first place. This is a Principle to be owned and acknowledged by every one that will believe any thing else. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only to know, to perceive to understand; but also to judge, own, and acknowledge. This then in our Religion is to be owned, acknowledged, submitted unto, as a Principle, without further dispute. To discover the Grounds of this submission and Acknowledgement, is the business of the ensuing discourse.  
Sect. 21. That this is so indeed, as before asserted, and to give a Reason why this is to be received as a Principle, he adds, ver s. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That word of Prophecy which we have written, is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of private conception, for it came not at any time by the will of man. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the passive Conjugation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, denotes at least to be brought in; more than merely it came; It was brought into them by the Will of God. The Affirmative, as to the Will of God, is included in the negative, as to the will of man. Or it came as the voice from heaven to our Saviour on the mount: vers. 18; where the same word is used. So Eze. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essendo fuit verbum; it was brought into him, as was showed before. Thus God brought the word to them, and spoke in them, in order of nature, before he spoke by them. As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. it was brought to them, it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice of the Lord, Goe 3. 8. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews call it; as spoken by them or written, it was properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum Dei▪ the word of God; which by his immediate voice he signified to the Prophets. Thus some of them in visions, first eat a written book, and then prophesied, as was instanced before And this is the first spring of the Scripture; the beginning of its emanation from the Counsel and Will of God. By the Power of the Holy Ghost, it was brought into the organs or instruments, that he was pleased to use, for the Revelation, and declaration of it unto others.  
Sect. 22. That which remains for the completing of this dispensation of the Word of God unto us, is added by the Apostle; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; When the Word was thus brought to them, it was not left to their understandings, Wisdoms, Minds, Memories, to order, dispose and give it out; but they were borne, acted, carried out by the Holy Ghost, to speak, deliver and Write, all that, and nothing but that, to every tittle, that was so brought to them▪ They invented not Words themselves, suited to the things they had learned; but only expressed the Words, that they received. Though their mind and understanding were used in the choice of Words, whence arises all the difference, that is in the manner of expression, (for they did use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of Will, or choice,) yet they were so guided, that their words were not their own▪ but immediately supplied unto them; and so they gave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing of uprightness, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words of truth, it's self. Ecles. 12. 10. Not only the Doctrine they taught, was the Word of truth, Truth its self, Joh. 17. 17; but the Words whereby they taught it, were Words of truth from God himself. Thus allowing the contribution of passive instruments for the Reception and Representation of words, which answers the mind and tongue of the Prophets, in the coming of the voice of God to them, every Apex of the written word is equally divine, and as immediately from God as the voice wherewith, or whereby he spoke to, or in the Prophets; and is therefore accompanied with the same Authority, in its self, and unto us.  
Sect. 23. What hath been thus spoken of the Scripture of the old Testament, must be also affirmed of the new; with this addition of advantage and pre-eminence, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 3. it received its beginning of being spoken by the Lord himself, God spoke in these last days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Son. Heb. 1. 1.  
Sect. 24. Thus God who himself began the writing of the Word with his own finger, Exod. 31. 11; after he had spoken it Exod. 20; appointing or approving the writing of the rest that followed, Deut. 31. 12. Josh. 23. 6. 1 King. 2, 3. 2 King. 14. 6. 2 King. 17. 13. 1 Chron. 21. 15. 2 Chron. 25. 4, 4. Ezek. 2. 9, 10. Hab. 2. 2. Luk. 16. 29. Joh. 5. 39 Joh. 20. 31. Act. 17. 11; doth lastly command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will, to be written in a Book. Re. 1. 11; and so gives out the whole of his Mind and counsel unto us in writing; as a merciful and steadfast relief, against all that confusion, darkness, and uncertainty, which the vanity, folly, and looseness of the minds of men, drawn out and heightened by the unspeakable alterations, that fall out amongst them, would otherwise have certainly run into.  
Sect. 25. Thus we have laid down the Original of the Scriptures, from the Scripture it's self; and this Original is the basis and foundation of all its Authority. Thus is it from God; entirely from him; As to the Doctrine contained in it, and the Words wherein that Doctrine is delivered, it is wholly his; what that speaks, He speaks himself. He speaks in it and by it; and so it is vested with all the moral Authority of God over his Creatures.   

CHAP. II.  
The main Question proposed to consideration. How we may know assuredly the Scripture to be the word of God. The Scripture to be received by divine faith. The Ground and foundation of that faith enquired after. The Answer in the General Thesis of this discourse. The Authority of God that foundation. The way whereby that Authority is evidenced or made known. What is meant by the Authority of the Scriptures. Authority is in respect of others. First general Evidence given to the Thesis laid down. The various ways of Gods Revealing him, self and his mind. 1 By his works: 2. By the light of nature; 3. By his word. Each of these evince themselves to be from him. His word especially.  
Sect. 1. HAving laid in the foregoing Chapter the foundation that we are to build and proceed upon, I come now to lay down the Enquiry, whose Resolution must thence be educed. That than which we are seeking after is; How We, and the rest of men in the world, who through the merciful dispensation of God, have the Book or Books wherein the Scripture given out from him as above declared, is contained, or said to be contained, who live so many Ages from the last Person who received any part of it immediately from God, or who have not received it immediately ourselves, may come to be ascertained, as to all ends and purposes wherein we may be concerned therein, that the whole and entire written word in that Book, or those Books, hath the original & consequently the Authority that it pleads and avows, namely that it is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from God, in the way and manner laid down, and not the Invention of men, attending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2 Pet. 1. 26; or to cunningly devised fables.  
Sect. 2. Now seeing it is expected from us, and required of us by God himself, and that on the penalty of his eternal Displeasure, if we fail in our duty (2 Thes. 1. 8, 9, 10.) that we receive the Scripture not as we do other Books in relation to their Author, with a firm Opinion, built on prevailing probable Arguments, prevalent against any actual conclusions to the contrary; but with divine and supernatural faith, omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a persuasion, not to be cast out of the mind by contrary reasonings or objections; it is especially inquired, what is the foundation & formal Reason of our doing so, if we so do. Whatever that be, it returns an answer to this important Question; why, or on what Account do you believe the Scriptures, or Books of the old and new Testament to be the word of God. Now the formal Reason of things being but one, what ever consideration may be had of other inducements or Arguments to beget in us a Persuasion that the Scripture is the Word of God, yet they have no influence into that divine faith wherewith we are bound to believe them. They may indeed be of some use, to repel the objections that are, or may, by any, be raised against the Truth we believe; and so indirectly cherish, and further faith its self; but as to a Concurrence unto the foundation, or formal Reason of our believing, it is not capable of it.  
Sect. 3. Having then laid down the Divine Original of the Scriptures, and opened the manner of the Word's coming forth from God, an Answer shall now on that sole foundation be returned to the Enquiry laid down. And this I shall do in the ensuing Position.  
The Authority of God, the supreme Lord of all; the first and only absolute Truth whose Word is Truth, speaking in, and by the Penmen of the Scriptures, evidenced singly in, and by the Scripture its self, is the sole bottom and foundation, or formal Reason, of our assenting to those Scriptures as his word, and of our submitting our hearts and Consciences unto them, with that faith and obedience, which morally respects him, and is due to him alone.  
Sect. 4 God speaking in the Penmen of the Scripture, Heb. 1. 1, his Voice to them was accompanied with its own Evidence, which gave Assurance unto them; And God speaking by them, or their Writings unto us, his Word is accompanied with its own Evidence, and gives Assurance unto us. His Authority and Veracity did, and do in the one and the other sufficiently manifest themselves, that men may quietly repose their Souls upon them, in believing and obedience. Thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ephes. 2. 20. on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, in our believing.  
Sect. 5. That than which to the establishment of the Souls of Believers, I shall labour to prove and evince, is plainly this; namely, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, do abundantly, and uncontroleably manifest themselves to be the Word of the living God; so that merely on the account of their own proposal of themselves unto us, in the Name and Majesty of God, as such, without the contribution of help or Assistance from Tradition, Church, or any thing else without themselves, we are obliged upon the penalty of eternal damnation (as are all to whom by any means they come, or are brought) to receive them, with that subjection of soul which is due to the Word of God. The Authority of God shining in them, they afford unto us all the divine Evidence of themselves, which God is willing to grant unto us, or can be granted us, or is any way needful for us. So then▪ the Authority of the written Word, in its self and unto us, is from its self, as the Word of God, and the eviction of that Authority unto us, is by its self.  
Sect. 6. When the Authority of the Scripture is enquired after, strictly its power to command, and require Obedience in the name of God, is intended. To ask then whence it hath its Authority, is to ask, whence it hath its Power to command in the name of God. Surely men will not say, that the Scripture hath its power to command in the name of God, from any thing but its self. And it is indeed a contradiction for men to say, They give Authority to the Scriptures. Why do they do so? Why do they give this Authority to that Book rather than another? They must say, because it is the Word of God. So the Reason why they give Authority unto it, is the formal Reason of all its Authority, which it hath antecedently to their charter and concession of Power. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word is Truth.  
Sect. 7. Some say indeed, that the Scripture hath its Authority in its self, and from its self, or its own divine Original, but not quoad nos; not in respect of us; that it may reach us, that we may know, and understand, and submit to its Authority, it must be testified unto aliunde, from some other person, or thing appointed thereunto: Ans.  
1. But may not this be said of God himself, as well as of his word? If God reveal himself to us, it must be by means; and if those means may not be understood to reveal him, unless they are testified unto from somewhat else, God cannot reveal himself to us. Si Deus hominibus non placuerit, utique Deus non erit. If God and his Word, will keep themselves, within themselves, to themselves, they may be God and his Word still, and keep their Authority; but if they will deal with us, and put forth their Commands to us, let them look that they get the Church's Testimonials, or on this Principle, they may be safely rejected; but  
Sect. 8. Authority is a thing that no Person or Thing can have in him, or its self, that hath it not in respect of others. In its very nature it relates to others, that are subject unto it. All Authority ariseth from Relation; and answers it throughout. The Authority of God over his Creatures, is from their Relation to him as their Creator. A King's Authority is in respect of his subjects. And he who hath no subjects, hath no Kingly Authority in himself, but is only a Stoical King. The Authority of a Minister relates to his flock; and he who hath no flock, hath no Authority of a Minister; if he have not a Ministerial Authority, in reference to a flock, a People, a Church; he hath none, he can have none in himself. So is it in this Case; If the Scripture hath no Authority from its self, in respect of us, it hath none in its self, nor can have. If it hath it in its self, it hath it in respect of us. Such a Respect, that is, a Right to Command and oblige to Obedience, is as inseparable from Authority, or a Moral Power, as heat is from fire. It is true: A man may have de jure, a lawful Authority over them, whom the facto, he cannot force or compel to obedience. But want of force doth not lessen Authority. God looseth not his Authority over men, though he put not forth towards them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the greatness of his Power, or the Efficacy of the might of his strength to cause them to obey. It is fond then to imagine, that a Man, or any thing, should have an Authority in himself, or its self, and yet not have that Authority in respect of them who are to be subject thereunto. That is not a Law properly at all, which is not a Law to some. Besides, all the evil of Disobedience relates to the Authority of him that requires the Obedience. James. 2. 10, 11. No action is Disobedience, but from the subjection of him who performs it, unto him who requires Obedience. And therefore if the Scripture hath not an Authority in its self, towards us, there is no evil in our disobedience unto its commands; or our not doing what it commandeth, and our doing what it for biddeth, is not disobedience, because it hath not an Authority over us; I speak of it as considered in its self, before the Accession of the Testimony pretended necessary to give it an authority over us. Hitherto then have we carried this objection; To disobey the commands of the Scripture, before the communication of a Testimony unto it by men, is no sin; eredat Apella.  
Sect. 9 The sense then of our Position is evident and clear; and so our Answer to the Enquiry made. The Scripture hath all its Authority from its Author, both in its self, and in respect of us; that it hath the Author and Original pleaded for, it declares its self, without any other Assistance by the Ways and Means, that shall afterwards be insisted on: the Truth whereof, I shall now confirm by one General induction. 2. By Testimonies. 3ly. By Arguments, expressing the Ways and means of its Revelation of its self.  
Sect. 10. There are 3 ways, whereby God in several Degrees revealeth himself, His Properties, His Mind, and Will, to the Sons of men.  
1. He doth it by his Works, both of Creation and Providence. All thy works praise thee. Psal. 145. 10. etc. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the firmament telleth the works of his hands. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night declareth knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out throughout the earth, and their word to the end of the world, Psal. 19 1, 2, 3, 4: etc. So Job: chap. 37. chap. 38. chap. 39; throughout. God who made heaven and earth, and the Sea, and all things that are therein, suffered in times past all nations to walk in their own ways, yet he left not himself without witness in that he did Good, & gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and Gladness, Act. 14. 15, 16, 17. And, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth unto all life and breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood all mankind to dwell on the face of the eart, and assigned the seasons which were ordained before, and the bounds of their habitations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him and find him. Act. 17. 24, 25, 26, 27: for, that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them; for the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. Rom. 1. 18, 19, 20, All which places God assisting shall be opened before long, 
De natura & Study Theologiae.  in another Treatise. The sum of them amounts to what was before laid down; namely, that God reveals and declares himself unto us, by the Works of his hands.  
Sect. 11. God declares himself, his Sovereign power and Authority, his Righteousness and Holiness, by the innate (or engrafted) light of nature, and Principles of the consciences of men. That indispensible moral obedience, which he requireth of us, as his creatures subject to his law, is in general thus made known unto us. For the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law; they having not the law, are a law unto themselves, showing the work of the law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts in the mean time excusing or accusing one another. Rom. 2. 14, 15. By the light that God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men, accompanied with a moral instinct of Good and evil, seconded by that selfe-Judgment which he hath placed in us, in reference to his own over us, doth he reveal himself unto the Sons of men. 3ly. God reveals himself by his Word, as is confessed. It remains then that we inquire, how we may know, and be ascertained that these things are not deceivable Pretences, but that God doth indeed so reveal himself by them.  
Sect. 12. First; The Works of God, as to what is his Will to teach and reveal of himself by them, have that Expression of God upon them; that stamp and character of his Eternal Power and Godhead, that Evidence with them that they are his, that where ever they are seen and considered, they undeniably evince that they are so, and that what they teach concerning him, they do it in his Name and Authority. There is no need of Traditions, no need of Miracles, no need of the Authority of any Churches to convince a rational Creature, that the works of God are his, and His only; and that he is Eternlal, and infinite in Power that made them. They carry about with them their own Authority. By being what they are, they declare whose they are. To reveal God by his works, there is need of nothing, but that they be by themselves represented, or objected to the consideration of Rational creatures.  
Sect. 13. The Voice of God in nature is in like manner effectual. It declares itself to be from God by its own light and Authority. There is no need to convince a man by substantial Witnesses, that what his Conscience speaks, it speaks from God. Whether it bear Testimony to the Being, Righteousness, Power, Omniscience or Holiness of God himself; or whether it call for that moral obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him, and so shows forth the work of the law in the heart; it so speaks and declares itself, that without further Evidence or Reasoning, without the Advantage of any considerations, but what are by its self supplied, it discovers its Au-Author from whom it is, and in whose name it speaks. Those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, those common notions, and general Presumptions of him and his Authority, that are inlaid in the natures of Rational Creatures by the hand of God, to this End, that they might make a Revelation of him as to the Purposes mentioned, are able to plead their own divine Original, without the least contribution of strength or Assistance from without.  
Sect. 14. And thus is it with those things; Now the Psalmist says unto God, Thou hast magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all thy name the Word thou hast spoken. The Name of God is all that whereby he makes himself known. Over all this, God magnifies his Word. It lies all in a subserviency thereunto. The name of God, is not here God himself; but every thing whereby God makes himself known. Now it were very strange that those low, dark & obscure Principles and Means of the Revelation of God and his Will, which we have mentioned, should be able to evince themselves to be from him, without any external help, Assistance, Testimony, or Authority, and that which is by God himself magnified above them, which is far more noble and Excellent in its self, and in respect of its end & Order, hath far more divinely conspicuous and glorious impressions and Characters of his Goodness, Holiness, Power, Grace, Truth then all the Creation, should lie dead, obscure, and have nothing in its self to reveal its Author, until this or that superadded Testimony, be called in to its Assistance. We esteem them to have done no service unto the Truth, who amongst innumerable other bold denials, have insisted on this also; that there is no natural knowledge of God arising from the innate Principles of Reason, and the Works of God proposing themselves to the consideration thereof; let now the way to the progress of supernatural Revelation be obstructed, by denying, that it is able to evince itself to be from God, and we shall quickly see what banks are cut to let in a flood of Atheism upon the face of the Earth.  
Sect. 15. Let us consider the issue of this General Induction. As God in the creation of the World, and all things therein contained, hath so made & framed them, hath left such characters of his Eternal Power and Wisdom, in them, and upon them, filled with such Evidences of their Author, suited to the Apprehensions of rational Creatures, that without any other Testimony from himself, or any else, under the naked consideration and Contemplation of what they ARE, they so far declare their Creator, that they are left wholly unexcusable, who will not learn, and know him from thence; So in the giving out of his Word to be the foundation of that World, which he hath set up in this world, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wheel within a wheel, his Church, He hath by his Spirit implanted in it, and impressed on it, such Characters of his Goodness, Power, Wisdom, Holiness, Love to mankind, Truth, Faithfulness, with all the rest of his Glorious Excellencies and Perfections, that at all times, and in all Places when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Expansion of it, is stretched over men by his Providence, without any other Witness or Testimony given unto it, it declares its self to be his, and makes good its Authority from him, so that the refusal of it upon its own evidence brings unavoidable condemnation on the souls of men. This comparison is insisted on by the Psalmist, Psal. 19, where as he ascribeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voice, and line to the creatures, so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Light, Power, stability and Permanency like that of the heavens & Sun, in commutation of properties to the Word, and in an unexpressable Exaltation of it above them; The light of one day of this Sun, being unspeakably more, than that of seven others, as to the manifestation of the Glory of God.  
Sect. 16. This then is fixed as a Principle of Truth; whatever God hath appointed to reveal himself by, as to any special or general End, that those whom he intends to discover himself unto, may either be effectually instructed in his mind and will, according to the measure, degree, and means of the Revelation afforded, or be left inexcusable for not receiving the Testimony that he gives of himself, by any Plea or pretence of want of clear, evident, manifest, Revelation; That, what ever it be hath such an impresssion of his Authority upon it, as undeniably to evince that it is from him. And this now concerning his Word, comes further to be confirmed by Testimonies and Arguments.   

CHAP. III.  
Arguments of two sorts. inartificial Arguments by way of Testimony, to the Truth. To whom these Arguments are valid. Isa. 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 16. of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that accompanies the voice of God. Jer. 3. 26, 27, 28, 29. The rejection of a plea of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wherein it consists. Luk. 16. 31. of miracles, their efficacy to beget faith, compared with the word. 2 Pe. 1. 16, 19, 20.  
Sect. 1. HAving declared the Divine Original, and Authority of the Scripture, and explained the Position laid down as the foundation of our ensuing discourse, way is now made for us, to the consideration of those s●lf●-Evidences of its divine Rise▪ and consequently Authority that it is attended withal, upon the account whereof we receive it, as, (believing it to be) the Word of God.  
Sect. 2. The Arguments whereby any thing is confimed are of two sorts; inartificial, by the Way of Testimony; and Artificial, by the Way of Deductions and Inferences. What ever is capable of contributing Evidence unto Truth, falls under one of these two heads. Both these kinds of Proofs we make use of, in the business in hand. Some profess they own the Authority of the Scriptures, and also urge others so to do; but they well dispute on what grounds and Accounts they do foe. With those we may deal in the first way, by Testimony from the Scriptures themselves, which upon their own Principles they cannot refuse. When they shall be pleased to inform us, that they have relinquished those Principles, and do no longer own the Scripture to be the Word of God, We will withdraw the Witnesses upon their Exceptions whom for the present we make use of. Testimonies that are innate and engrafted in the Word it's self, used only as Mediums of Artificial Arguments to be deduced from them, which are of the second sort, may be used towards them who at present own not the Authority of the Scripture on any account whatever, or who are desirous to put on themselves the Persons of such men, to try their skill and Ability for the management of a Controversy against the Word of God.  
Sect. 3. In both these cases the Testimony of the Scripture is pleaded, and is to be received; or cannot with any pretence of Reason be refused; in the former, upon the account of the acknowledged Authority and Veracity of the Witness though speaking in its own case; in the latter upon the account of that self Evidence which the Testimony insisted on is accompanied withal, made out by such Reasonings and Arguments as for the kind of them, Persons who own not its Authority, cannot but admit. In humane things; if a man of known Integrity and unspotted Reputation bear Witness in any cause, and give uncontrollable Evidence to his Testimony, from the very nature and Order of the things whereof he speaks, as it is expected that those who know and admit of his Integrity and Reputation do acquiesce in his Assertion, so those to whom he is a Stranger, who are not moved by his Authority, will yet be overcome to assent to what is witnessed by him, from the nature of the things he asserts, especially if there be a coincidence of all such circumstances, as are any way needful to give Evidence to the matter in hand.  
Sect. 4. Thus it is, in the case under consideration. For those who profess themselves to believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God, and so own the credit and fidelity of the Witness, it may reasonably be expected from them, yea in strict Justice demanded of them, that they stand to the Testimony, that they give to themselves, and their own divine Original. By saying that the Scripture is the Word of God, and then commanding as to prove it so to be, they render themselves obnoxious unto every Testimony that we produce from it, that so it is; and that it is to be received on its own Testimony. This Witness they cannot wave without disavowing their own Professed Principles; without which Principles they have not the least colour of imposing this task on us.  
Sect. 5. As for them, with whom we have not the Present advantage of their own Acknowledgement, it is not reasonable to impose upon them with the bare Testimony of that Witness concerning whom the Question is, whether he be worthy the Acceptation pleaded for; But yet Arguments taken from the Scripture, from what it is, and doth, it's Nature and Operation, by which the causes and springs of all things are discovered, are not to be refused.  
Sect. 6. But it is neither of these, that principally I intent to deal withal; my present Discourse is rather about the satisfaction of our own consciences, than the Answering of others Objections. Only we must satisfy our Consciences upon such Prinples as will stand against all men's Objections. This then is chiefly enquired after; namely what it is that gives such an Assurance of the Scriptures being the Word of God, as that relying thereon we have a sure Bottom and foundation for our receiving them as such; and from whence it is, that those who receive them not in that manner, are left inexcusable in their damnable unbelief. This we say, is in, and from the Scripture its self; so that there is no other need of any further witness or Testimony, nor is any, in the same kind, to be admitted.  
Sect. 7. It is not at all in my Purpose to insist largely at present on this subject, and therefore I shall content myself with instancing in some few Testimonies and Arguments, beginning with one or two of the first sort. Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this Word, there is no light in them. What ever any one says be it what, or who it will, Church, or Person, if it be in or about the things of God, concerning his Will or Worship, with our Obedience to him, it is to be tried by the Law and Testimony. Hither we are sent; This is asserted to be the Rule and standard, the touchstone of all speakings whatever. Now that must speak alone for its self, which must try the speaking of all, but its self, yea it's own also.  
Sect. 8. But what doth this Law and Testimony, that is, this written Word plead, on the account whereof, it should be thus attended unto? What doth it urge for its Acceptation? Tradition, Authority of the Church, Miracles, consent of men? or doth it speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and stand only upon its own Sovereignty? The Apostle gives us his Answer to this Enquiry, 2 Tim. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It's Plea for Reception in Comparison with, and Opposition unto all other ways of coming to the knowledge of God, his Mind and Will, founded whereon, it calls for attendance and submission with supreme uncontroleable Authority is its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine inspiration. It remains then only to be enquired, whether, when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pleaded, there be any middle way, but either that it be received with divine faith, or rejected as false.  
Sect. 9 Suppose a man were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, divinely inspired, and should so profess himself in the name of the Lord, as did the Prophets of old, Amos 7. supposing I say he were so indeed; it will not be denied, but that his message were to be received and submitted unto on that account. The denial of it, would justify them, who rejected and slew those, that spoke unto them in the name of the Lord. And it is to say in plain terms, we may reject them whom God sends. Though miracles were given only with respect to Persons, not things, yet most of the Prophets, who wrought no miracles, insisted on this, that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired, their doctrine was to be received, as from God. In their so doing, it was sin, even Unbelief, and Rebellion against God, not to submit to what they spoke in his name. And it always so fell out, to fix our faith on the right bottom, that scarce any Prophet that spoke in the name of God, had any Approbation from the Church, in whose days He spoke. Math. 5. 12. chap. 23. 29. Luk. 17. 47, 48. Acts 7. 52. Math. 21. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38. It is true! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; 2 Pet. 2. 1. there were false Prophets, that spoke in the name of the Lord, when he sent them not, Jerem. 23. 22. Yet were those whom he did send, to be received on pain of damnation: on the same penalty were the others to be refused. Jerem. 23. 28, 29. The foundation of this duty lies in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that accompanied the Word that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; of which afterwards. And without a supposal hereof, it could not consist with the Goodness and Righteousness of God, to require of men, under the penalty of his eternal displeasure, to make such a discrimination, where he had not given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, infallible tokens to enable them so to do.  
Sect. 10. But that he had, and hath done so, he declares, Jerem. 23. How long shall this be in the heart of the Prophets that Prophecy lies? that are Prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The Prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully; what is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord; is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the mountains in Pieces. In the latter days of that Church, when the People were most eminently perplexed with false Prophets, both as to their number and subtlety, yet God lays their Eternal and Temporal safety, or Ruin, on their discerning aright between his Word and that which was only pretended so to be. And that they might not complain of this imposition, he tenders them security of its easiness of Performance. Speaking of his own Word comparatively, as to every thing that is not so, he says, it is as Wheat to Chaff, which may infallibly, by being what it is, be discerned from it; and then absolutely that it hath such Properties, as that it will discover its self; even Light and heat, and Power. A Person then who was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, was to be attended unto, because he was so.  
Sect. 11▪ As than was said before, the Scriptures being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is not the case the same, as with a man that was so? is there any thing in the Writing of it by God's Command, that should impair its Authority? nay is it not freed from innumerable prejudices that attended it, in its first giving out by men; arising from the personal infirmities, and supposed interests of them that delivered it? Jerem. 43. 3. Joh. 9 29. Acts. 24. 5.  
Sect. 12. This being pleaded by it, and insisted on, its Testimony is received, or it is not. If it be received on this account, there is in it we say the proper basis and foundation of faith, whereon it hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or subsistence. If it be rejected, it must be not only with a refusal of its witness, but also with a high detestation of its pretence to be from God. What ground or plea for such a refusal and detestation any one hath, or can have, shall be afterwards considered. If it be a sin to refuse it, it had been a duty to receive it: if a duty to receive it as the Word of God, then was it sufficiently manifested so to be. Of the objection arising from them who pretend to this inspiration falsely, we have spoken before; and we are as yet dealing with them that own the Book whereof we spoke to be the Word of God, and only call in Question the Grounds on which they do so; or on which others aught so to do. As to these it may suffice, that in the strength of all the Authority and truth they profess to own and acknowledge in it, it declares the foundarion of its Acceptance to be no other, but it's own divine inspiration; hence it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Sect. 13. Again in that dispute, that was between Abraham and the Rich man, Luk. 16. 31. about the best and most effectual means of bringing men to Repentance: The Rich man in Hell, speaking his own conception, fixes upon Miracles; if one rise from the dead, and preach, the work will be done: Abraham is otherwise minded, that is, Christ was so, the Author of that parable: He bids them attend to Moses and the Prophets, the Written Word, as that which all faith and Repentance was immediately to be grounded on. The enquiry being, how men might be best assured, that any message is from God, did not the Word manifest its self to be from him, this direction had not been equal.  
Sect. 14. The Ground of the Request for the rising of one from the dead, is laid in the common Apprehension of men not knowing the power of God in the Scriptures; who think, that if an evident miracle were wrought, all pretences and pleas of Unbelief would be excluded; who doth not think so? Our Saviour discovers that mistake, and lets men know, that those who will not own, or submit to the Authority of God in the Word, would not be moved by the most signal miracles imaginable. If an holy man, whom we had known assuredly to have been dead for some years, should rise out of his grave, and come unto us with a message from God; could any man doubt whether he were sent unto us of God or no? I suppose not. The rising of men from the dead was the greatest miracle that attended the Resurrection of our Saviour, Math. 27. 52, 53. yea greater than his own, if the Socinians may be believed: namely; in that he raised not himself by his own power; yet the evidence of the mission of such an One, & the Authority of God speaking in him, our Saviour being Judge, is not of an Efficacy to enforce belief beyond that which is in the Written Word, nor a surer foundation for faith to repose its self upon.  
Sect. 15. Could we hear a Voice from Heaven, accompanied with such a divine power, as to evidence its self to be from God, should we not rest in it as such? I suppose men think they would; can we think that any man should withdraw his Assent, and say, yea but I must have some Testimony that this is from God; All such Evasions are precluded in the supposition, wherein a self evidencing Power is granted. What greater miracles did the Apostles of Christ ever behold, or hear; then that Voice that came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from the most excellent Glory; This is my beloved Son: yet Peter who heard that voice tells us, that comparatively we have greater security from, and by the Written Word, than they had in, and by that miraculous voice: We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; we heard saith he that voice indeed, but we have a more sure word of Prophecy to attend unto. More sure! not in in its self, but in its giving out its Evidence unto us. And how doth it appear so to be? The Reason he alleges for it, was before insisted on, 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19, 20.  
Sect. 16. Yea suppose that God should speak to us from Heaven, as he spoke to Moses; or as he spoke to Christ; or from some certain place, as Numb. 7. 8, 9 How should we be able to know it to be the Voice of God? Cannot Satan cause a Voice to be heard in the Air, and so deceive us? or, may not there be some way in this kind found out, whereby men might impose upon us with their delusions. Pope Celestine thought he heard a voice from heaven, when it was but the cheat of his Successor. Must We not rest at last in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which accompanies the true Voice of God, evidencing its self, and ascertaining the Soul beyond all possibility of mistake. Now did not this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accompany the written Word at its first giving forth? if it did not, as was said, how could any man be obliged to discern it from all delusions; if it did, how came it to lose it? did God appoint his word to be Written, that so he might destroy its Authority? If the Question be whether the doctrines proposed to be believed, are Truths of God, or cunningly devised fables, we are sent to the Scripture its self, and that alone, to give the Determination.   

CHAP. IU.  
Innate Arguments in the Scripture, of its divine original and Authority. These the formal Reason of our Believing. It's self evidencing Efficacy. All light m●nifests itself. The Scripture, Light. What kind of Light it is. Spiritual light evidential. The ground of men's not discerning this Light. Consectaries from the Premises laid down. What the self Evidencing Light of the Scripture peculiarly is. The Proposition of the Scripture as an object of faith is from and by this Light. Power, self Evidencing. The Scripture the Power of God. And Powerful. How this Power exerts its self. The whole Question resolved.  
§ 1. HAving given some few instances of those many Testimonies, which the Scripture in express Terms bears to its self, and the spring, rise, and fountain of all that Authority, which it claims among and over the sons of men, which all those who pretend on any account whatever, to own and acknowledge its Divinity, are bound to stand to, and are obliged by; The second thing proposed, or the innate Arguments that the Word of God is furnished withal for its own manifestation, and whereby the Authority of God is revealed for faith to repose its self upon, comes in the next place into consideration. Now these Arguments contain the full and formal Grounds of our Answer, to that enquiry before laid down; namely, why and wherefore we do receive and believe the Scripture to be the word of God; It being the formal Reason of our faith, that whereon it is built, and whereunto it is resolved that is enquired after, we answer as we said before; we do so receive, embrace, believe, and submit unto it, because of the Authority of God who speaks it, or gave it forth as his Mind and Will, evidencing its self, by the spirit, in, and with that word unto our minds and Consciences; or because that the Scripture being brought unto us, by the good Providence of God, in Ways of his Appointment and Preservation, it doth evidence its self infallibly unto our consciences to be the Word of the living God.  
Sect. 2. The self evidencing Efficacy of the Scripture, and the grounds of it, which consist in common mediums, that have an extent and latitude answerable to the Reasons of men, whether as yet they acknowledge it to be the Word of God or no, is that than which in the remainder of this discourse I shall endeavour to clear and vindicate. This only I shall desire to premise, that whereas some Grounds of this efficacy seem to be placed in the things themselves contained in the Scripture, I shall not consider them abstractedly as such, but under the formality of their being the Scripture or Written Word of God; without which consideration and Resolution, the things mentioned would be left naked and utterly devested of their Authority and efficacy pleaded for; and be of no other nature and importance, than the same things found in other Books. It is the Writing its self, that now supplies the place and Room of the Persons, in, and by whom God originally spoke to men. As were the Persons speaking of old, so are the Writings now: It was the Word spoken, that was to be believed, yet as spoken by them from God; and it is now the Word written, that is to be believed, yet as written by the Command and Appointment of God.  
Sect. 3. There are then two things, that are accompanied with a self evidencing Excellency; and every other thing doth so, so far as it is partaker of their nature, and no otherwise; now These are 1 Light. 2. Power for, or in Operation.  
Sect. 4. 1 Light manifests its self. Whatever is Light doth so: that is, it doth whatever is necessary on its own part for its manifestation and discovery. Of the defects that are, or may be in them, to whom this discovery is made, we do not as yet speak: And whatever manifests its self is Light. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ephes. 5. 13. Light requires neither proof nor Testimony for its Evidence. Let the Sun arise in the firmament, and there is no need of Witnesses to prove and confirm unto a seeing man that it is day. A small candle will so do. Let the least child bring a candle into a room that before was dark, and it would be a madness to go about to prove by substantial Witnesses, men of Gravity and Authority, that Light is brought in. Doth it not evince its self, with an Assurance above all that can be obtained by any Testimony whatever? Whatever is Light, either naturally or morally so, is revealed by its being so. That which evidenceth not its self, is not Light.  
Sect. 5. That the Scripture is a Light, we shall see immediately. That it is so, or can be called so, unless it hath this nature and Property of Light, to evidence its self, as well as to give light unto others, cannot in any tolerable correspondency of speech be allowed. Whether Light spiritual and intellectual regarding the mind, or natural with respect to bodily sight, be firstly and properly Light, from whence the other is by Allusion denominated, I need not now inquire. Both have the same properties in their several kinds. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: true light shineth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 1 Joh. 1. 5. God himself is light; and he inhabiteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Tim. 6. 16. 
Biddle Catech.  not a shining glistering brightness, as some grossly imagine, but the Glorious unsearchable Majesty of his own Being, which is inaccessible to our understandings. So Isa. 57 15. inhabiteth eternity. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Psalmist, thou cloathest thyself with Light: and Dan. 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light remaineth with him; God, He is light essentially, and is therefore known by the beaming of his Eternal Properties, in all that outwardly is of him. And light abides with him, as the fountain of it; he communicating Light to all others. This being the fountain of all Light, the more it participates of the nature of the fountain, the more it is Light; and the more properly, as the Properties and Qualities of it are considered. It is then spiritual, moral, intellectual Light, with all its mediums, that hath the pre-eminence, as to a participation of the nature and properties of light.  
Sect. 6. Now the Scripture the word of God is light; those that reject it are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lights rebels, men resisting the Authority which they cannot but be convinced of. Psal. 19 9 & 43. 3. & 119. 105, 130. Prov. 6. 23. Isa. 9 2. Hos. 6. 5. Math. 4. 16. and 5. 14. Joh. 3. 20. 21: It is a Light so shining with the majesty of its Author, as that it manifests its self to be his. 2 Pet. 1. 19 A Light shining in a dark place, with an eminent advantage for its own discovery, as well as unto the benefit of others.  
Sect. 7. Let a light be never so mean and contemptible; yet if it shines, casts out beams and rays in a dark place, it will evidence its self. If other things be wanting in the faculty, the Light as to its innate Glory and beauty, is not to suffer prejudice. But the Word is a glorious shining Light, as hath been showed; an illuminating Light; compared to, and preferred above the light of the Sun. Psal. 19 5, 6, 7. Rom. 10. 18. Let not then a reproach be cast upon the most glorious Light in the world, the most eminent reflection of uncreated light and Excellencies, that will not be fastened on any thing, that on any account is so called. Math. 5. 19  
Sect. 8. Now as the Scripture is thus a Light, we grant it to be the duty of the Church, of any Church, of every Church, to hold it up, whereby it may become the more conspicuous. It is a ground, and pillar to. set this light upon. 1 Tim. 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, may refer to the mystery of Godliness, in the next words following, in good coherence of speech, as well as to the Church; but granting the usual reading, no more is affirmed, but that the Light and Truth of the Scripture is held up, and held out by the Church. It is the duty of every Church so to do: almost the whole of its duty. And this duty it performs ministerially, not Authoritatively. A Church may bear up the light, it is not the light. It bears witness to it, but kindles not one divine beam to further its discovery. All the Preaching that is in any Church, its Administration of Ordinances, all its walking in the Truth, hold up this light.  
Sect. 9 Nor doth it in the least impair this self evidencing Efficacy of the Scripture, that it is a moral and spiritual, not a natural light. The Proposition is Universal to all kinds of light; yea more fully applicable to the former, than the latter. Light I confess of its self will not remove the defect of the visive faculty. It is not given for that end; Light is not Eyes. It suffices that there is nothing wanting on its own part for its discovery and Revelation. To argue that the Sun, cannot be known to be the Sun, or the great means of communicating external light unto the World, because blind men cannot see it, nor do know any more of it, than they are told will scarce be admitted; nor doth it in the least impeach the Efficacy of the light pleaded for, that men stupidly blind cannot comprehend it. Joh. 1. 5.  
Sect. 10. I do not assert from hence, that wherever the Scripture is brought, by what means soever (which indeed is all one) All that read it, or to whom it is read, must instantly, of necessity assent unto its Divine Original. Many men (who are not stark blind) may have yet so abused their Eyes, that when a Light is brought into a dark place, they may not be able to discern it. Men may be so preposessed with innumerable prejudices, Principles received by strong Traditions, corrupt Affections, making them hate the light, that they may not behold the Glory of the word, when it is brought to them. But it is nothing to our present discourse, whether any man living be able by and of himself to discern this Light, whilst the defect may be justly cast on their own blindness. 2 Cor. 4. 2, 3▪ 4. By the manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves to every one's conscience in the sight of God; but if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto them. There is in the dispensation of the Word an Evidence of Truth commending its self to the consciences of men; Some receive not this Evidence; is it for want of Light in the Truth it's self? No! that is a Glorious light that shines into the hearts of men; Is it for want of Testimony to assert this light? No! but merely because the God of this world hath blinded the Eyes of men, that they should not behold it.  
Sect. 11. From what then hath been laid down, these two things may be inferred.  
1. That as the Authority of God the first and only absolute Truth, in the Scripture, is that alone which divine faith rests upon, and is the formal object of it; so wherever the Word comes, by what means soever, it hath in its self a sufficiency of Light to evidence to all, (and will do it eventually to all that are not blinded by the God of this world) that Authority of God its Author; And the only Reason why it is not received by many in the World to whom it is come, is, the Advantage that Satan hath to keep them in ignorance and blindness, by the lusts, corruptions, prejudices, and hardness of their own hearts.  
Sect. 12. The word than makes a sufficient Proposition of its self, wherever it is. And he to whom it shall come, who refuses it because it comes not so, or so Testified, will give an accou●t of his Atheism and infidelity. He that hath the witness of God, need not stay for the Witness of men, for the Witness of God is greater.  
Sect. 13. Wherever the Word is received indeed, as it requireth itself to be received, and is really assented unto as the Word of God; it is so received upon the Evidence of that Light which it hath in its self, manifestly declaring its self so to be. It is all one, by what means, by what hand, whether of a Child or a Church, by Accident or Traditions, by common consent of men, or pecular Providence, the Scripture comes unto us; Come how it will, it hath its Authority in its self, and towards us, by being the Word of God; and hath its power of manifesting its self so to be, from its own innate Light.  
Sect. 14. Now this light in the scripture for which we contend, is nothing but the beaming of the Majesty, Truth, Holiness, and Authority of God, given unto it, and left upon it, by its Author the Holy Ghost; An impress it hath, of God's Excellency upon it, distinguishing it by infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from the product of any creature; By this it dives into the Consciences of men, into all the secret recesses of their hearts; guides, teaches, directs, determines, and judges in them, upon them, in the name, majesty & Authority of God. If men who are blinded by the God of this world, will yet deny this light, because they perceive it not, it shall not prejudice them who do. By this self evidencing Light, I say, doth the Scripture make such a proposition of its self, as the Word of God, that whoever rejects it, doth it at the peril of his eternal Ruin; and thereby a bottom and foundation is tendered for that faith which it requireth, to repose its self upon.  
Sect. 15. For the proof then of the Divine Authority of the scriptures, unto him or them, who as yet on no account what ever do acknowledge it, I shall only suppose, that by the Providence of God the Book it's self be so brought unto him or them, as that He, or they, be engaged to the consideration of it; or do attend to the reading of it. This is the work of God's providence in the Government of the world; upon a supposal hereof, I leave the Word with them; and if it evidence not its self unto their conscience, it is because they are blinded by the God of this world; which will be no plea for the refusal of it, at the Last day; And they who receive it not on this Ground, will never receive it on any, as they ought.  
Sect. 16. The second sort of things that evidence themselves, are things of an Effectual powerful Operation in any kind. So doth fire by heat, the Wind by its noise and force; salt by its taste and savour, the Sun by its light and heat; So do also moral principles that are effectually operative. Rom. 2. 14, 15. Men in whom they are, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Do manifest the Work of them; or them by their work and Efficacy. Whatever it be that hath an innate power in its self, that will effectually operate on a fit and proper subject, it is able to evidence it's self, and it's own nature and condition.  
Sect. 17. To manifest the interest of the Scripture to be enroled among things of this nature, yea under God himself, who is known by his great power and the Effects of it, to have the Pre-eminence, I shall observe only one or two things concerning it, the various improvement whereof, would take up more time, and greater space, than I have allotted to this discourse.  
Sect. 18. It is absolutely called the Power of God; and that unto its proper End, which way lies the tendency of its Efficacy in Operation. Rom. 1. 16. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vis, virtus Dei; the Power of God. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word concerning the Cross, that is the Gospel, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 1 Cor. 1. 18; the Power of God; And faith which is built on that word, without other helps or Advantages, is said to stand in the Power of God. 1 Cor. 2. 5. That is, effectually working, in and by the Word; it worketh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; in the demonstration of the spirit and of power. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: it's spiritual Power gives a demonstration of it. Thus it comes not as a naked Word, 1 Thes. 1. 5, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; giving all manner of Assurance and full persuasion of its self, Even by its Power and Efficacy. Hence it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rod of power, or strength. Psal. 110. 2; denoting both Authority and Efficacy; surely that which is thus the Power and Authority of God, is able to make its self known so to be.  
Sect. 19 It is not only said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Power, the Power of God in its self; but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, able and powerful in respect of us. Thou hast learned saith Paul to Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sacred letters (the written word) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. They are powerful and effectual to that purpose. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. James. 1. 21. The Word that hath power in it, to save. So Acts 20. 31. I commend you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to the able, powerful Word. And that we may know what kind of power it hath, the Apostle tells us, that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is living and effectual (Heb. 4. 12.) and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is designed of God to declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the effectual working of his power. See Joh. 6. 68, 69. 2 Cor. 6. 41. 2 Cor. 15. 58. Gal. 2. 8. By virtue of this Power, it brought forth fruit in all the world. Col. 1. 6. Without sword, without (for the most part) miracles, without humane Wisdom, or Oratory, without any inducements or motives, but what were merely and solely taken from its self, consisting in things, that eye had not seen, nor ear heard, nor could enter into the heart of man to conceive; hath it exerted this its power and efficacy, to the conquest of the World; causing men of all sorts, in all times and places, so to fall down before its Divine Authority, as immediately to renounce all that was dear to them in the world, and to undergo whatever was draedful, terrible and destructive to nature in all it's dearest concernments.  
Sect. 20. It hath been the work of many to insist on the Particulars, wherein this Power exerts its self: so that I shall not enlarge upon them. In general they have this Advantage, that as they are all spiritual, so they are such, as have their seat dwelling and abode in the hearts and consciences of men, whereby they are not liable to any Exception as though they were pretended. Men cannot harden themselves in the rejection of the Testimony they give, by sending for Magicians to do the like; or by any pretence that it is a common thing, that is befallen them on whom the Word puts forth it's power. The seat and residence of these Effects, is safeguarded against all Power & Authority but that of God. Its diveing into the heart's Consciences & secret recesses of the minds of men, its judging and sentencing of them in themselves, its convictions, terrors, conquests, and killing of men; it's converting, building up, making wise, holy, obedient, its administering consolations in every condition, and the like effects of its power are usually Spoken unto.  
Sect. 21. These are Briefly the foundations of the Answer returned to the Enquiry formerly laid down which might abundantly be enlarged. How know we that the Scripture is the Word of God; how may others come to be assured thereof? The Scripture, say we, bears Testimony to its self, that it is the Word of God; that Testimony is the witness of God himself, which who so doth not accept and believe, he doth what in him lies to make God a liar; To give us an infallible Assurance that in receiving this Testimony, we are not imposed upon by cunningly devised fables, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Scriptures, have that Glory of Light and Power accompanying of them, as wholly distinguisheth them by infallible signs and Evidences from all Words and Writings not divine, conveying their Truth and Power, into the souls and consciences of men, with an infallible certainty. On this account are they received, by all that receive them as from God; who have any real distinguishing foundation of their faith, which would not be, separated from these grounds, as effectual an expedient for the reception of the Alcoran.   

CHAP. V.  
Of the Testimony of the Spirit. Traditions. Miracles.  
Sect. 1. BEfore I proceed to the consideration of those other Testimonies, which are as Arguments drawn from those innate Excellencies, and Properties of the Word which I have insisted on, some other things whose right understanding is of great importance in the cause underdebate, must be laid down and stated. Some of these refer to that Testimony of the Spirit, that is usually and truly pleaded, as the great ascertaining Principle, or that, on the account whereof, we receive the Scriptures to be the Word of God. That it may be seen, in what sense, that is usually delivered by our Divines, and how far there is a coincidence between that Assertion, and what we have delivered, I shall lay down what that Testimony is, wherein it consists, and what is the weight or stress that we lay upon it.  
Sect. 2. That the Scripture be received as the Word of God, there is required a twofold Efficacy of the spirit. The first respects the subject or the mind of man that assents unto the Authority of the Scripture; now concerning this Act, or work of the Spirit, whereby we are enabled to believe the Scripture, on the account whereof we may say that we receive the Scripture to be the word of God, or upon the Testimony of the Spirit, I shall a little inquire, what it is, and wherein it doth consist.  
Sect. 3. 1st. Then, It is not an outward or inward vocal Testimony concerning the Word, as the Papists would impose upon us to believe and assent. We do not affirm that the spirit immediately, by himself, saith unto every individual Believer, this Book is, or contains the Word of God; We say not that the Spirit ever spoke to us of the Word, but by the Word. Such an Enthusiasm as they fancy is rarely pretended, and where it is so, it is for the most part quickly discovered to be a delusion. We plead not for the usefulness, much less the necessity of any such Testimony. Yea the Principles we have laid down, resolving all faith into the Public Testimony of the Scriptures themselves, do render all such private Testimonies altogether needless.  
Sect. 4. 2ly. This Testimony of the spirit consists not in a persuasion that a man takes up, he knows not well how, or why; only this he knows, he will not Depose it though it cost him his life. This would be like that, which by Morinus is ascribed to the Church of Rome, which though it knew no Reason why it should prefer the vulgar latin Translation before the Original, 
Morin. Excere. de Heb. Tex. fincer & excercit. 1. cap. 1.  yet by the guidance of the Spirit would do so, that is unreasonably. But if a man should say, that he is persuaded that the Scripture is the Word of God, and that he will die a 1000 times to give Testimony thereunto; and not knowing any real ground of this persuasion, that should bear him out in such a Testimony, shall ascribe it to the Spirit of God, our concernment lies not in that Persuasion. This may befall men by the Advantage of Traditions, whereof men are usually Zealous; and obstinate in their defence. Education in some constitutions will give pertinacy in most vain and false persuasions. It is not then a Resolution and Persuasion induced into our minds we know not how, built we know not upon what foundations, that we intent in the Assignation of our receiving the Scripture, to be the Word of God, to the effectual work and witness of the Holy Ghost.  
Sect. 5. Two things then we intent by this Work of the spirit upon the mind of man 1. His communication of of spiritual Light; by an act of his Power, enabling the mind to discern the saving Truth, Majesty, and Authority of the Word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. There is a blindness, a darkness upon the minds of men, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that not only disenables them from discerning the things of God, in their certainty, Evidence, Necessity, and beauty; (for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉;) but also causes them to judge amiss of them; as things weak and foolish, dark, unintelligible, not answering to any Principle of Wisdom whereby they are guided: 1 Cor. 2. Whilst this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abides on the minds of men, it is impossible that they should on any right abiding foundation assent to the Word of God. They may have a prejudicated opinion, they have no faith concerning it. This darkness than must be removed by the Communication of Light by the Holy Ghost, which work of his Illumination is commonly by others spoken unto; and by me also in another place.  
Sect. 6. 2. The Holy Ghost together with, and by his work of Illumination, taking off the perverse disposition of mind that is in us by nature, with our Enmity to, and Aversation from the things of God, effectually also persuades the mind, to a receiving and admitting of the Truth, Wisdom, and Authority of the word; Now because this perverse disposition of mind, possessing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soul, influences the Will also into an Aversation and dislike of that Goodness, which is in the Truth proposed to it; it is removed by a double act of the Holy Ghost.  
§ 7. 1. He gives us Wisdom, Understanding, a spiritual Judgement, whereby we may be able to compare spiritual things with spiritual, in a spiritual manner, and to come thereby to a clear and full Light of the heavenly Excellency and Majesty of the Word; and so enables us to know of the doctrine, whither it be of God. Under the benefit of this Assistance, all the parts of the Scripture in their Harmony and Correspondency, all the Truths of it in their power and necessity, come in together to give Evidence one to another, and all of them to the whole; I mean as the mind is enabled to make a spiritual Judgement of them.  
§ 8. 2. He gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a spiritual sense, a Taste of the things themselves upon the mind, Heart, and Conscience; when we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senses exercised to discern such things. These things deserve a more full handling, and to be particularly exemplified from Scripture, if the nature of our present design would admit thereof.  
Sect. 9 As in our natural Estate in respect of these things of God, the mind is full of vanity, darkness, blindness, yea is darkness its self, so that there is no correspondency between the faculty and the Object; and the Will lies in an utter unacquaintedness, yea impossibility of any acquaintance with the life, power, savour, sweetness, relish, and Goodness, that is in the things proposed to be known and discerned, under the dark shades of a blind mind; so for a removal of both these, the Holy Ghost communicates Light to the Understanding, whence it is able to see and judge of the truth, as it is in Jesus, and the Will being thereby delivered from the dungeon wherein it was, and quickened a new, performs its office, in embracing what is proper and suited unto it in the object proposed. The Spirit indeed discovereth to every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; according to the counsel of his will; but yet in that way, in the General whereby the Sun gives out his light and heat, the former making way for the latter: But these things must not now be insisted on.  
Sect. 10. Now by these works of the Spirit, He doth, I say, persuade the Mind concerning the Truth and Authority of the Scripture; and therein leave an Impression of an effectual Testimony within us: And this Testimony of his, as it is Authoritative, and infallible in its self, so of inconceivably more Efficacy, Power and Certainty unto them that do receive it, than any Voice, or internal Word, boasted of by some, can be. But yet this is not the work of the spirit at present enquired after.  
Sect. 11. 2 There is a Testimony of the spirit, that respects the object, or the Word its self; and this is a public Testimony, which, as it satisfies our souls in particular, so it is, and may be pleaded, in reference unto the satisfaction of all others, to whom the Word of God shall come. The Holy Ghost speaking in and by the Word, imparting to it Virtue, Power, Efficacy, Majesty and Authority, affords us the Witness, that our faith is resolved unto. And thus whereas there are but two heads, whereunto all Grounds of Assent do belong, namely Authority of Testimony, and the self Evidence of Truth, they do here both concur in one. In the same Word we have both the Authority of the Testimony of the spirit, and the self Evidence of the Truth spoken by him; yea so, that both these are materially one and the same, though distinguished in their formal conceptions. I have been much affected with those verses of DANTES the Italian Poet, which some body hath thus word for word turned into Latin.  
— larga pluvia  
Spiritus sancti quae est diffusa  
Super veteres, & super novas membranas,  
Est syllogismus qu● eam mihi conclusit  
Acutè adeo ut prae illa  
Omnis demonstratio mihi videatur obtusa.  
The spirits communication of his own Light, and Authority to the Scripture, as Evidences of its original, is the Testimony pleaded for.  
Sect. 12. When then we resolve our faith into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost, it is not any Private whisper, Word, or voice given to individual Persons; It is not the secret and effectual persuasion of the Truth of the Scriptures, that falls upon the minds of some men, from various involved considerations of Education, Tradition, and the like, whereof they can give no particular account: It is not the effectual work of the Holy Ghost upon the minds and wills of men, enabling them savingly to believe, that is intended; The Papists for the most part pleading about these things, do but show their ignorance and malice. But it is the Public Testimony of the Holy Ghost given unto all, of the Word, by and in the word, and its own divine light, Efficacy, and Power.  
Sect. 13. Thus far then have we proceeded. The Scripture, the Written Word hath its infallible Truth in its self; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. from whence it hath its Verity, thence it hath its Authority; for its whole Authority is founded in its Truth. It's Authority in its self, is its Authority in respect of us; nor hath it any whit more in its self, than the jure it hath towards and over all them to whom it comes; That de facto some do not submit themselves unto it, is their sin & rebellion. This Truth and consequently this Authority, is evidenced and made known to us, by the public Testimony which is given unto it by the Holy Ghost speaking in it, with divine Light and Power, to the minds, souls, and consciences of men: being therein by its self proposed unto us, We being enlightened by the Holy Ghost, (which in the Condition wherein we are, is necessary for the Apprehension of any spiritual thing or truth in a spiritual manner) we receive it, and religiously subject our souls unto it, as the Word and Will of the everliving, sovereign God, and judge of all▪ And if this be not a bottom and foundation of faith, I here publicly Profess, that for aught I know, I have no faith at all.  
Sect. 14. Having laid this stable foundation; I shall with all possible brevity consider some pretences, and Allegations, for the confirmation of the Authority of the Scripture, invented and made use of by some, to divert us from that foundation, the closing wherewith, will in this matter alone bring peace unto our souls; and so this Chapter shall as it were, lay in the balance, and compare together, the Testimony of the Spirit before mentioned and explained, and the other pretences and pleas, that shall now be examined.  
Sect. 15. 1. Some say, when on other accounts they are concerned so to say, that we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome, who received it by Tradition, and this gives a credibility unto it. Of Tradition in general, without this limitation which destroys it, of the Church of Rome, I shall speak afterwards. Credibility, either keeps within the bounds of probability, as that may be heightened to a manifest uncontr●leablenesse, whilst yet its principles exceed not that sphere; in which sense it belongs not at all to our present discourse; or it includes a firm, suitable foundation, for faith supernatural and divine. Have we in this sense received the Scripture from that Church, as it is called? is that Church able to give such a credibility to any thing? or doth the Scripture stand in need of such a credibility to be given to it from that Church? are not the first most false, and is not the last blasphemous? To receive a thing from a Church, as a Church, is to receive it upon the Authority of that Church: If we receive any thing from the Authority of a Church, we do it not because the thing its self is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, worthy of Acceptation, but because of the Authority alleged. If then we thus receive the Scriptures from the Church of Rome, why (in particular) do we not receive the Apocryphal Books also, which she receives? How did the Church of Rome re●eive the Scriptures? shall we say that she is authorized to give out what seems Good to her, as the Word of God? not: but she hath received them by Tradition; so she pleads, that she hath received the Apocryphal books also; we then receive the Scriptures from Rome; Rome by Tradition; We make ourselves Judges of that Tradition; and yet Rome saith, this is one thing, that she hath by the same Tradition, namely, that she alone is judge of what she hath by Tradition; But the common fate of liars is befallen that Harlot: she hath so long, so constantly, so desperately lied in many, the most things that she professeth, pretending Tradition for them, that indeed she deserves not to be believed, when she telleth the Truth. Besides, She pleads that she received the Scriptures from the Beginning, when it is granted that the copies of the Hebrew of the old, and Greek of the new Testament were only authentic: These she pleads now under her keeping to be woefully corrupted, and yet is angry that we believe not her Tradition.  
Sect. 16. Some add that we receive the Scripture to be the Word of God upon the account of the miracles that were wrought at the giving of the Law, and of the new Testament; which miracles we have received by universal Tradition. But first I desire to know whence it comes to pass, that seeing our saviour Jesus Christ wrought many other miracles besides those that are written, Joh. 20. 30. ch. 21. 25. and the Apostles likewise, they cannot by all their Traditions help us to so much as an obscure report of any one, that is not written; (I speak not of Legends) which yet at their performance were no less known than those that are; nor were less useful for the end of miracles than they. Of Tradition in General afterwards▪ But is it not evident that the miracles whereof they speak, are preserved in the Scripture and no otherwise? And if so; can these miracles operate upon the understanding or judgement of any man, unless they first grant the Scripture to be the Word of God, I mean to the begetting of a divine faith of them, even that there were ever any such miracles. Suppose these miracles alleged, as the Ground of our believing of the word, had not been written, but like the Sibyls leaves had been driven up and down, by the Worst and fiercest wind that blows in this world, the breath of man; Those who should keep them by tradition, that is men, are by nature so vain, foolish, malicious, such liars, adders, detractors, have spirits and minds so unsuited to spiritual things, so liable to alteration in themselves, and to contradiction one to another, are so given to impostures, and are so apt to be imposed upon, have been so shuffled and driven up and down the world in every Generation, have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are, whence they come, or whether they are to go, that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for, without any Evidence from the nature of the thing it's self.  
Sect. 17. Abstracting then from the Testimony given in the Scriptures to the miracles wrought by the prime Revealers of the mind and will of God in the Word; and no tolerable assurance as to the business in hand, where a foundation for faith is enquired after, can be given that ever any such miracles were wrought. If numbers of men may be allowed to speak, we may have a Traditional Testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Alcoran, under the name of True miracles. But the constant Tradition of more than a 1000 years, carried on by innumerable multitudes of men, great, wise, and sober, from one Generation to another, doth but set open the gates of hell for the mahometans; Yet setting aside the Authority of God in his Word, and what is resolved thereinto, I know not why they may not vie Traditions with the rest of the world. The world indeed is full of Traditions flowing from the Word; that is, a knowledge of the Doctrines of the word in the minds of men; but a Tradition of the Word, not resolved into the Word, a tradition referred to a fountain of sense in seeing, and hearing, preserved as an oral law, in a distinct channel, and stream by its self, when it is evidenced, either by instance in some particular preserved therein, or in a probability of securing it through the Generations passed, by a comparison of some such effect in things of the like kind, I shall be ready to receive it.  
Sect. 18. Give me then, as I said before, but the least obscure report, of any one of those many miracles that were wrought by our Saviour and the Apostles, which are not recorded in the scriptures, and I shall put more valuation on the pretended Traditions, than I can as yet persuade myself unto. Besides! many Writers of the Scripture wrought no miracles, and by this Rule their writings are left to shift for themselves. Miracles indeed were necessary to take of all prejudices from the Persons, that brought any new doctrine from God; but the doctrine still evidenced its self: The Apostles converted many, where they wrought no miracles. Act. 16. 17, 18; and where they did so work, yet they for their doctrine, and not the doctrine on their account was received. And the Scripture now hath no less Evidence and demonstration in its self of its Divinity, than it had, when by them it was preached.  
Sect. 19 But because this Tradition is pretended with great confidence as a sure bottom and foundation for receiving of the Scriptures, I shall a little farther inquire into it. That which in this case is intended, by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tradition, 
Est r●i de manu in manu●, aut doctrinae ex animo in animum mediante docentis voce, quâ seu manu doctrina alteri traditur. Buxtor. Comment. Mas.  is a Report of men, which those who are present have received from them that are gone before them. Now this may be either of All the men of the World, or only of some of them; if of All; either their suffrages must be taken in some Convention, or gathered up from the individuals as we are able, and have opportunity. If the first way of receiving them were possible, which is the utmost improvement that Imagination can give the Authority enquired after, yet every individual of men being a Liar, the whole convention must be of the same complexion, and so not be able to yield a sufficient basis to build a faith upon, cui non potest subesse falsum, that is infallible, and cannot possibly be deceived: much less is there any foundation for it, in such a Report as is the emergency of the Assertion of individuals.  
Sect. 21. But now if this Tradition be alleged as preserved only by some in the World, not the half of rational Creatures, I desire to know, what reason I have to believe those who have that Tradition, or plead that they have it, before and against them who profess they have no such Report delivered to them from their forefathers; Is the Reason hereof because I live among these who have this Tradition, and they are my neighbours whom I know? by the same Rule those who live among the other Parts of men, are bound to receive what they deliver them upon Tradition; and so men may be obliged to believe the Alcoran to be the Word of God.  
Sect. 22. It is more probable it will be answered, that their Testimony is to be received because they are the Church of God; but it doth not yet appear, that I can any other way have any Kowledge of them so to be, or of any Authority that any number of men, more, or less, can have in this case, under that Name or Notion, unless by the Scripture it's self; And if so, it will quickly appear what place is to be allotted to their Testimony, who cannot be admitted as Witnesses, unless the Scripture it's self be owned and received; because they have neither plea nor claim to be so admitted, but only from the Scripture: If they shall aver, that they take this honour to themselves, and that without Relation to the Scripture they claim a right of Authoritative witness bearing in this case, I say again, upon the general grounds of natural Reason, and Equity, I have no more inducements to give credit to their Assertions, then to an alike number of men holding out a Tradition utterly to the contrary of what they assert.  
Sect. 23. But yet suppose, that this also were granted, and that men might be allowed to speak in their own name and Authority, giving Testimony to themselves, which upon the hypothesis under consideration, God himself is not allowed to do; I shall desire to know whither, when the Church declares the scriptures to be the Word of God unto us, it doth apprehend any thing in the Scripture as the Ground of that Judgement and declaration or no? If it says no; but that it is proposed upon its sole Authority; then surely if we think Good to acquiesse in this decision of this doubt and enquiry, it is full time for us, to lay aside all our studies and inquiries after the Mind of God, and seek only what that man, or those men say, who are entrusted with this Authority, as they say, and as they would have us believe them, though we know not at all how or by what means they came by it; seeing they dare not pretend any thing from the Scripture, lest thereby they direct us to that, in the first place.  
Sect. 24. If it be said, that they do upon other accounts judge and believe the scripture to be true, and to be the Word of God; I suppose it will not be thought unreasonable if we inquire after those Grounds and accounts, seeing they are of so great concernment unto us; All Truths in Relations consisting, in their consonancy and Agreement, to the nature of the things they deliver, I desire to know how they came to judge of the consonancy, between the nature of the things delivered in the Scripture, and the delivery of them therein? The things whereof we speak being heavenly, spiritual, mysterious, and supernatural, there cannot be any knowledge obtained of them but by the Word it's self. How then can they make any Judgement of the Truth of that Scripture in the Relation of these things, which are no where to be known (I speak of many of them) in the least, but by that Scripture its self.  
Sect. 25. If they shall say, that they found their judgement and declaration upon some discovery, that the Scripture makes of its self unto them; they affirm the same that we plead for: only they would very desirously appropriate to themselves the Privilege of being able to discern that discovery so made in the Scripture. To make good this claim, they must either plead somewhat from themselves, or from the Scriptures: if from themselves, it can be nothing, but that they see, like the men of China, and all others are blind, or have but one eye at the best, being wiser than any others, and more able to discern than they. Now though I shall easily grant them to be very subtle and cunning, yet that they are so much wiser than all the world besides, that they are meet to impose upon their belief things that they neither do, nor can discern or know, I would not be thought to admit, until I can believe myself and all others not of their society or combination, to be beasts of the field, and they as the serpent amongst us.  
Sect. 26. If it be from the Scripture that they seek to make Good this claim; then as we cause them there to make a stand, which is all we aim at, so their plea must be from the promise of some special Assistance granted to them for that purpose; if their assistance be that of the spirit, it is either of the spirit that is promised to believers, to work in them as before described and related, or it is some private Testimony that they pretend is afforded to them; If the former be affirmed, we are in a condition, wherein the necessity of devolving all on the scripture its self, to decide and judge who are beleivers, lies in every one's view; if the latter, who shall give me Assurance, that when they pretend that witness and Testimony, they do not lie and deceive; we must here certainly go either to the Scrippture, or to some cunning man to be resolved. Isa. 8. 19, 20.  
Sect. 27. I confess the Argument which hath not long since been singled out, and dextrously managed by an able and learned pen, namely; of proving the Truth of the doctrine of the Scripture, 
D. Ward Essay etc.  from the Truth of the story, and the Truth of the story from the certainty there is that the Writers of the Books of the Bible, were those Persons whose names and inscriptions they bear; so pursuing the Evidence, that what they wrote was true and known to them so to be, from all requisita that may possibly be sought after for the strengthening of such Evidence, is of great force and efficacy. It is I say of great force and efficacy as to the end for which it is insisted on; that is to satisfy men's rational Inquiries; but as to a ground of faith, it hath the same insufficiency with all other Arguments of the like kind; Though I should grant that the Apostles & penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, holiness that ever lived in the world, as they were; and that they wrote nothing, but what themselves had as Good Assurance of▪ as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attain; yet such a Knowledge and Assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God; if they received not every Word by inspiration, and that evidencing its self unto us, otherwise then by the Authority of their Integrity, it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon.  
Sect. 28. Before the committing of the Scriptures to writing, God had given the World an Experiment what keepers men were of this Revelation by tradition; Within some hundreds of years after the flood, all knowledge of him, through the craft of Satan, and the vanity of the minds of men which is unspeakable, was so lost, that nothing, but as it were the creation of a new World, or the Erection of a new Church state by new Revelations, could relieve it. After that great trial what can be farther pretended, on the behalf of Tradition I know not.  
Sect. 29. The sum of all is; The merciful Good Providence of God, having by divers and various means; using therein amongst other things, the ministry of men and Churches, preserved the Writings of the Old and New Testament in the World; and by the same gracious disposal afforded them unto us, they are received and submitted unto by us, upon the Grounds and evidences of their divine Original before insisted on.  
Sect 30. Upon the whole matter then, I would know, whither if the Scriptures should be brought to any man, when, or where, he could not possibly have it attested to be the Word of God, by any public or private Authority of man, or Church, Tradition, or otherwise, he were bound to believe it or no? whither he should obey God in believing, or sin in the rejecting of it? suppose de do but take it into consideration, do but give it the reading or hearing, seeing in every place it avers its self to be the Word of God, he must of necessity either give credit unto it, or disbelieve it; To hang in suspense, which ariseth from the imperfect actings of the faculties of the soul, is in its self a weakness, and in this case being reckoned no the worst side, is interpretatively a Rejection. If you say it were the duty of such an one to believe it, you acknowledge in the scripture it's self a sufficient Evidence of its own original Authority; without which it can be no man's duty to believe it. If you say, it would not be his sin to reject and refuse it, to disbelieve all that it speaks in the name of God; then this is that you say; God may truly and really speak unto a man, (as he doth by the Scripture) and yet that man not be bound to believe him. We deal not thus with one another.  
Sect. 31. To wind up then the plea insisted on in the foregoing Chapter, concerning the self evidencing Light and Power of the Scripture, from which we have diverted, and to make way for some other considerations, that tend to the confirmation of their divine Original, I shall close this discourse with the two general considerations following.  
Sect. 32. 1 Then laying aside these failing pleas, there seems to be a moral impossibility that the Word of God, should not manifest it's own Original, and its Authority from thence. Quaelibet herba deum. There is no Work of God, as was showed, but reveals its Author. A curious Artificer imparts that of form, shape, proportion, and comeliness to the fruit of his Invention, and work of his hands, that every one that looks upon it, must conclude, that it comes from skill and Ability. A man in the delivery of his mind in the writing of a Book, will give it such an impression of Reason, that though you cannot conclude that this, or that man wrote it, yet you must, that it was the product of a man, or Rational creature: yea some individual men of Excellency in some skill, are instantly known by them, that are able to judge in that Art or skill, by the Effects of their skill. This is the Peice, this is the hand, the Work of such an one. How easy is it for those who are conversant about ancient Authors to discover an Author by the spirit and stile of his writings. Now certainly this is strange beyond all belief, that almost every Agent should give an impress to its work, whereby it may be appropriated unto him, and only the Word, wherein it was the design of the Great and Holy God to give us a portraiture as it were of his Wisdom, Holiness and Goodness, so far as we are capable of an Acquaintance with him in this Life, is not able to declare and evince its Original. That God who is prima Veritas, the first and sovereign Truth, infinitely separated and distinguished from all creatures on all accounts whatever, should Write a Book, or at least immediately indite it, commanding us to receive it as his, under the penalty of his Eternal displeasure, and yet that Book not make a sufficient discovery of its self to be his, to be from him, is past all belief. Let men that live on things received by Tradition from their Fathers, who perhaps never had sense of any real Transaction between God and their souls, who scarce ever perused the Word seriously in their lives, nor brought their Consciences to it; please themselves in their own imaginations; The sure Anchor of a soul that would draw nigh to God in and by his Word, lies in the things laid down.  
Sect. 33. I suppose it will not be denied but that it was the Mind and Will of God, that those to whom his Word should come, should own it and receive it as his; if not, it were no sin in them to reject it, unto whom it doth so come; if it were, then either he hath given those Characters unto it, and left upon it that impression of his majesty whereby it might be known to be his, or he hath not done so; and that either because he would not, or because he could not; To say the latter, is to make him more infirm than a man, or other worms of the earth, than any naturally effectual cause. He that saith the former, must know, that it is incumbent on him, to yield a satisfactory account, why God would not do so, or else he will be thought blasphemously to impute a want of that Goodness & Love of mankind unto him, which he hath in infinite Grace manifested to be in himself. That no man is able to assign any such Reason, I shall firmly believe, until I find some attempting so to do; which as yet none have arrived at that height of Impudence and wickedness as to own.  
Sect. 34. 2ly. How horrible is it to the thoughts of any Saint of God, that the scripture should not have its Authority from its self. Tertullian objects this to the Gentiles; Apol. Cap. 5. Facit & hoc ad causam nostram, quod apud vos de humano arbitratu divinitas pensitatur; nisi homini Deus placuerit, Deus non erit; homo ja● Deo propiti●s esse debebit. Would it be otherwise in this case if the Scripture must stand to the mercy of man for the Reputation of its Divinity? nay of its verity; for whence it hath its Authority, thence it hath its verity also, as was observed before; and many more words of this nature might be added.   

CHAP. VI  
Consequential considerations for the confirmation of the divine Authority of the Scripture.  
Sect. 1. I said in the former Chapter, that I would not employ myself willingly, ●o enervate or weaken any of the Reasons or Arguments that are usually insisted on, to prove the divine Authority of the Scripture. Though I confess, I like not to multiply Arguments, that conclude to a probability only, and are suited to beget a firm Opinion at best, where the principle intended to be evinced is the fide, and must be believed with faith divine, and supernatural. Yet because some may happily be kept to some kind of Adherence to the Scriptures; by mean grounds, that will not in their own strength abide, until they get footing in those that are more firm; I shall not make it my business to drive them from their present station; having persuaded them by that which is better.  
Sect. 2. Yea, because on Supposition of the Evidence formerly tendered, there may be great use at several seasons, of some consequential considerations and Arguments to the purpose in hand, I shall insist on two of that kind, which to me, who have the Advantage of receiving the Word on the forementioned account, seem not only to persuade, and in a great measure to convince to undeniable probability, but also to prevail irresistably on the understanding of unprejudiced men, to close with the divine Truth of it.  
Sect. 3. The first of these is taken from the nature of the doctrine its self, contained in the Scripture, the second from the mannagement of the whole design therein; the first is innate, the other of a more external and Rational consideration.  
Sect. 4. For the first of them, there are two things considerable in the doctrine of the Scripture, that are powerful, and if I may so say, uncontroleably prevalent as to this purpose.  
Sect. 5. First its universal suitableness upon its first clear discovery and Revelation to all the Entanglements and perplexities of the souls of men, in reference to their Relation to, and dependence upon God. If all mankind have certain Entanglements upon their hearts and spirits in reference unto God, which none of them that are not utterly brutish, do not wrestle withal, and which all of them are not able in the least to assoil themselves in, and about, certainly that Doctrine which is suited universally to satisfy all their perplexities, to calm and quiet their spi●its in all their tumultuating, and doth break in upon them with a glorious Efficacy to that purpose in its discovery and Revelation, must needs be from that God, with whom we have to do, and none else. From whom else I pray should it be. He that can give out such a Word, ille mihi semper erit Deus.  
Sect. 6. Now there are 3 general heads of things, that all and every one of mankind, not naturally brutish are perplexed withal, in reference, to their dependence on God, and Relation to him.  
1 How they may worship him as they ought.  
2 How they may be reconciled, and at peace with him, or have an Atonement for that guilt which naturally they are sensible of.  
3 What is the nature of true Blessedness, and how they may attain it, or how they may come to the enjoyment of God.  
Sect. 7. That all mankind is perplexed and entangled with, and about these Considerations, that all men ever were so, without Exception more or less, and continue so to be to this day; that of themselves, they miserably grope up and down in the dark, and are never able to come to any satisfaction, neither as to what is present, nor as to what is to come, I could manifest from the State, Office, and condition of conscience, the indelible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and presumptions about them, that are in the hearts of all by nature. The whole History of all Religion which hath been in the World, with the design of All ancient and present Philosophy, with innumerable other uncontroleable Convictions (which also God assisting, 
de natura Theologiae.  I shall in another Treatise declare) do manifest this Truth.  
Sect. 8. That, surely than which shall administer to all and every one of them, equally and universally, satisfaction as to all these things, to quiet and calm their spirits, to cut off all necessity of any further Inquiries, give them that wherein they must acquiesce, and wherewith they will be satiated, unless they will cast off that Relation, and dependence on God, which they seek to confirm 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 vain I sought elsewhere, waxing foolish in my imaginations.  
Sect. 9 It would be too long to insist on the severals; take one instance in the business of Atonement, Reconciliation, and Acceptance with God. What strange horrible fruits and effects have men's 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 days? Now with what a Glorious soul appeasing Light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and Atonement, by the blood of Christ the son of God, come in upon such men? This first astonisheth, then conquereth, then ravisheth, and satiateth the soul. This is that they looked for, this they were sick for, and knew it not. This is the design 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 Blessedness; this meets with men in all their wander, stops them in their disquisitions, convinces them of the darkness, folly, uncertainty, falseness 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 souls: so was that old Roman World conquered by it; so shall the Mahometan be, in God's good and appointed time.  
Sect. 11. Of what hath been spoken, this is the sum. All mankind that acknowledge their dependence 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 clear and distinct Apprehensions, of these things; Some under more dark and general notions of them are thus exercised; To extricate themselves, and to come to some issue in and about these inquiries, hath been the great Design of their Lives, the Aim 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 attain satisfaction to their souls, but waxed vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were more and more darkened; In this estate of things, the Doctrine of the Scripture coming in with full, unquestionable satisfaction to all these, suited to the enquirings of every individual soul, with a largeness of Wisdom, and depth of Goodness, not to be fathomed, it must needs be from that God with whom we have to do. And those who are not persuaded hereby, that will not cast Anchor in this harbour, let them put to sea once more, if they dare; turn themselves loose to other considerations, and try if all the forementioned perplexities do not inevitably return.  
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 proposal of them, nature startles, shrinks, and is taken with Horror, meeting with that which is above it, too great and too excellent for it, which it could desirously avoid and decline; but yet gathering itself up to them, it yields, and finds, that unless they are accepted, and submitted unto, though unsearchable, that not only All that hath been received, must be rejected, but also the whole dependence of the Creature on God be dissolved, or rendered only dreadful, terrible, and destructive to nature its self. 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 itself to Opposition; this is babbling, 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 several 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 recoil at, than the Doctrine of the Trinity? How many do yet stumble & fall at it? I confess the Doctrine its self is but sparingly, yet it is clearly and distinctly delivered unto us in the Scripture. The sum of it is; that God is one; His nature, or his Being, one; That all the Properties, or infinite Essential Excellencies of God, as God, do belong to that one nature and Being. This God is infinitely Good, Holy, Just, Powerful, He is eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent; & 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 divers 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 constitute 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 formal 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 that Number.  
Sect. 14. This I say is the sum of this Doctrine, as it is delivered unto us in the Scripture. Here Reason is entangled; yet after a while finds evidently, that unless this be embraced, all other things wherein it hath to do with God, will not be of value to the soul; this will quickly be made to appear. 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 gracious Communication of his Love, Goodness etc. 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 intercourse 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 belief, receiving, and acceptance of it, it is utterly impossible that any interest in them, should be obtained, or preserved.  
Sect. 15. For the first; or the Communication of God unto us in a Way of Love and Goodness, it is wholly founded upon, and enwrapped in this Truth, both as to the eternal Spring, and actual Execution of it. A few instances will evince this Assertion. The Eternal fountain of all Grace, flowing from Love and Goodness, lies in God's Election, or Predestination. This being an Act of God's Will, cannot be apprehended, but as an eternal act of his Wisdom, or Word also. All the eternal thoughts of its pursuit, lie in the Covenant that was between 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 & Goodness, is lost to the soul.  
Sect. 16. As to the Execution of this Purpose, with the actual dispensation of the fruits of Grace and Goodness unto us, it lies wholly in the unspeakable Condescension of the Son unto Incarnation with what ensued thereon. The Incarnation of the Eternal Word, by the Power of the Holy Ghost, is the bottom of our Participation of Grace. Without it, it was absolutely impossible that man should be made partake● of the favour of God. Now this enwraps the whole Doctrine of the Trinity in its bosom; nor can once be apprehended, without its Acknowledgement. Deny the Trinity, and all this means of the Communication of Grace, with the whole of the satisfaction, and Righteousness of Christ falls to the Ground. Every Tittle of it speaks this Truth: And they who deny the one, reject the other.  
Sect. 17. Our actual Participation of the fruits of this Grace, is by the Holy Ghost. We cannot ourselves seize on them, nor bring them home to our own souls. 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 entertain any thought of his effectual working in us, and upon us, but it includes this whole Doctrine? They therefore who deny the Trinity deny the Efficacy of its operation also.  
Sect. 18. So it is, as to our Obedience unto God, whereby the Communion between God and man is completed. Although the formal 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 Privileges of the Gospel. Thus without the Acknowledgement 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 speaks not of any thing between 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 rejoiced in his peculiar work 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 own condescension undertakes the work, and is incarnate by the Holy Ghost. The Father as was said, communicates his love, and all the fruits of it unto us by the Son; as the Holy Ghost doth the merits, and fruits of the mediation of the Son. The Father is not known nor worshipped, but by and in the Son; Nor Father or Son but by the Holy Ghost, etc.  
Sect. 20. Upon this discovery the soul that was before startled at the Doctrine in the notion of it, is fully convinced that all the satisfaction it hath sought after in its 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 means of returning Obedience unto God. Besides, all the things that he hath been enquiring after, appear on this account in their Glory, beauty & reality unto him: so that, that which most staggered him at first in the receiving of the Truth, because of its deep mysterious glory, doth now most confirm 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 brief view of the whole Scripture with the design of it. The consent of parts or Harmony of the scripture in its self, and every part of it with each other, and with the whole, is commonly pleaded as an Evidence of its divine Original. 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 compass of what he intended to deliver and reveal. Otherwise, or by any other, that oneness of Spirit, design and aim, in unspeakable variety and diversity of means of its delivery, that absolute correspondency of it to its self, and distance from any thing else, could not have been attained. Now it is certain, that this principle must be summum in its kind; either bonum, or malum. If the Scripture be what it reveals and declares itself to be, it is then unquestionably the Word of the Living God, Truth its self; for that it professeth of its self, from the beginning to the ending; to which profession all that it reveals answers absolutely, and unquestionably in a tendency to his Glory alone. If it be not so, it must be acknowledged that the Author of it had a blasphemous design to hold forth himself to be God, who is not so; a malicious design to deceive the Sons of men, and to make them believe that they Worship and honour God; and obey him when they do not; and so to draw them into everlasting destruction, and that to compass these ends of blasphemy, Atheism and malice, he hath laid out in a long course of time, all the industry and wisdom, that a Creature could be made partaker of: Now he that should do thus, must be the Devil, and none else; no other creature can possibly arrive at that height of obstinacy in evil. Now certainly whilst God is pleased to continue unto us any thing, whereby we are distinguished from the Beasts that perish; whilst there is a sense of a distance between Good and Evil abiding amongst men, it cannot fall upon the understanding of any man, that that Doctrine which is so holy and pure, so absolutely leading to the utmost improvement of whatever is good, just, commendable and praise Worthy, so suitable to all the Light of God, of Good and Evil that remains in us; could proceed from any one everlastingly hardened in Evil, and that in the pursuit of the wickedest design, that that wicked one could possibly be engaged in; namely to enthrone himself, and maliciously to cheat, cousin and ruin the souls of men; so that upon necessity the Scripture can own no Author but him, whose it is, even the Living God.  
As these considerations are far from being the bottom and foundation of our faith, in our assenting to the Authority of God in the Word; so on the supposition of what is so, they have an usefulness, as to support in trials and temptations, and the like seasons of difficulty: but of these things so far.    

Of The Integrity & Purity of the Hebrew and Greek Text of the Scripture, With Considerations on the PROLEGOMENA, and APPENDIX to the late BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA.  
OXFORD, Printed by H. H. for THO: ROBINSON. 1659.   


CHAP. I.  
1. The occasion of this Discourse. 2. The Danger of supposing corruptions in the Originals of the Scripture. 3. The great usefulness of the Biblia Polyglotta. 4. The Grounds of the ensuing animadversions. 5. The Assertions proposed to be vindicated laid down. 6. Their weight and importance. 7. Sundry principles in the Prolegomena prejudicial to the Truth contended for, laid down. 8. Those Principles formerly asserted by others. Reasons of the opposition made to them.  
Scte. 1. WHEN this whole little precedent Treatise was finished, and ready to be given out unto the Stationer, there came to my hands the Prolegomena and Appendix to the Biblia Polyglotta lately published. Upon the first sight of that volume, I was somewhat startled with that bulky collection of various Readins, which the Appendix tenders to the view of every one th●t doth but cast an eye upon it. Within a while after I found that others also men of Learning and Judgement, had apprehensions of that work, not unlike those which my own thoughts had suggested unto me. Afterwards, considering what I had written, about the Providence of God in the preservation of the Original Copies of the Scripture in the foregoing discourse, fearing least from that great Appearance of Variations in the Original Copies, and those of all the Translations published with so great care and diligence, there might some unconquerable objections against the Truth of what I had asserted, be educed; I judged it necessary to stop the progress of those thoughts, until I could get time to look through the Appendix, and the various Lections in that great Volume exhibited unto us, with the grounds and Reasons of them in the prolegomena. Having now discharged that task, and (as things were stated) duty, I shall crave leave to deliver my thoughts to some things contained in them, which possibly men of perverse minds may wrest to the prejudice of my former Assertions, to the prejudice of the certainty of divine Truth, as continued unto us through the Providence of God in the Originals of the Scripture.  
Sect. 2. What use hath been made, and is as yet made in the world, of this supposition, that corruptions have befallen the Originals of the scripture, which those various lections at first view seem to intimate; I need not declare. It is in brief, the foundation of Mahumetism, Alcor. Azoar. 5. 
Whitak Cham. Rivet. de S. S. Molin. nov. Pap. Mestrezat. Cont. Jesuit. Regourd. vid. Card. Perron. respon. ad Reg. mag. Bullen. l. 5. c. 6.  The chiefest and principal prop of Popery, the only pretence of Fanatical Anti Scripturists, & the root of much hidden Atheism in the World. At present there is sent unto me by a very learned Person, upon our discourse on this subject, a Treatise in English, with the Latin Title of fides Divina, wherein it's nameless Author, on this very foundation labours to evert and utterly render useless the whole scripture. How far such as he may be strengthened in their infidelity by the consideration of these things, time will manifest.  
Had there not been then a necessity incumbent on me, either utterly to desist from pursuing any thoughts of publishing the foregoing Treatise, or else of giving an account of some things contained in the Prolegomena and Appendix, I should for many Reasons have abstained from this Employment. But the truth is, not only what I had written in the first Chapter about the Providence of God in the preservation of the Scripture, but also the main of the Arguments afterwards insisted on by me, concerning the self Evidencing power and Light of the Scripture, receiving in my Apprehension a great weakening by the things I shall now speak unto, if owned and received as they are proposed unto us, I could not excuse myself from running the hazard, of giving my thoughts upon them.  
Sect. 3. The Wiseman tells us, that he considered all travel and every right work, and that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, wh●ch saith he, is vanity and vexation of spirit, Eccles. 4. 4. It cannot be denied, but that this often falls out through the Corruption of the hearts of men, that when Works, right Works, are with most sore travel brought forth in the world, their Authors are repaid with envy for their Labour, which mixes all the issues of the best endeavours of men, with vanity, and vexation of spirit. Hiereme of old and Erasmus of late, are the usual instances in this kind. That I have any of that guilt in a peculiar manner, upon me in reference to this work of publishing the Biblia Polyglotta, which I much esteem, or the Authors and contrivers of it, 
a (fir●e my writing of this some of the chief overseers of the Work, Persons of singular worth are known to me.)  whom I know not, I can, with due consideration, and do utterly deny. The searcher of all hearts, knows I lie not. And what should possibly infect me with that leaven? I neither profess any deep skill in the Learning used in that work, nor am ever like to be engaged in any thing that should be set up in competition with it; nor did ever know that there was such a Person in the world, as the chief Author of this Edition of the Bibles, but by it. I shall then never fail on all just occasions, to commend the usefulness of this work, and the Learning Diligence and pains of the worthy Persons that have brought it forth; nor would be wanting to their full praise in this place, but that an entrance into this discourse with their due commendations might be liable to misrepresentations. But whereas we have not only the Bible published, but also private opinions of men, (and collections of various Readins (really or pretendedly so we shall see afterwards,) tending some of them as I apprehend, to the disadvantage of the great and important Truth that I have been pleading for, tendered unto us, I hope it will not be Grievous to any nor matter of Offence, if using the same Liberty, that they, or any of them whose hands have been most eminent in this work have done, I do with (I hope) Christian candour and moderation of spirit, briefly discover my thoughts upon some things proposed by them.  
Sect. 4. The renownedly learned Prefacer unto the Arabic Translation in this Edition of it, tells us, that the Work of translating the Pentateuch into that Language, was performed by a Jew, who took care to give countenance to his own private opinions, and so render them Authentic by bringing them into the Text of his Translation.  
It is not of any such Attempt, that I have any cause to complain, or shall so do in reference to these Prolegomena and Appendix; only I could have wished, (with submission to better Judgements be it spoken,) that in the publishing of the Bible, the Sacred Text, with the Translations, and such naked historical accounts of their Originals and preservation, as were necessary to have laid them fair and open to the Judgement of the Reader, had not been clogged with disputes and pleas for particular private opinions, imposed thereby with too much advantage on the minds of men, by their constant neighbourhood unto canonical Truth.  
Sect. 5. But my present considerations being not to be extended beyond the concernment of the Truth which in the foregoing discourse I have pleaded for, I shall first propose a brief abstract thereof, as to that part of it, which seems to be especially concerned, and then lay down what to me appears in its prejudice in the Volumes now under debate; not doubting but a fuller account of the whole, will by some or other be speedily tendered unto the Learned and impartial Readers of them. The sum of what I am pleading for, as to the particular Head to be vindicated is; that as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, were immediately, and entirely given out by God himself, his mind being in them represented unto us, without the least interveniency of such mediums, and Ways, as were capable of giving change or alteration to the least iota or syllable; so by his Good and merciful providential dispensation, in his Love to his Word and Church, his whole Word as first given out by him, is preserved unto us entire in the Original Languages; where shining in its own beauty and lustre, (as also in all Translations so far, as they faithfully represent the Originals) it manifests and evidences unto the consciences of men, without other foreign help or assistance, its divine original and Authority.  
Sect. 6. Now the several Assertions or Propositions contained in this position, are to me such important Truths, that I shall not be blamed in the least by my own Spirit, nor I hope by any others, in contending for them, judging them fundamental parts of the faith once delivered to the saints; and though some of them may seem to be less weighty than others, yet they are so concatenated in themselves, that by the removal or destruction of any one of them, our interest in the others is utterly taken away. It will assuredly be granted, that the persuasion of the coming forth of the Word immediately from God, in the way pleaded for, is the foundation of all faith, hope, and obedience. But what I pray will it advantage us, that God did so once deliver his Word, if we are not assured also, that, that word so delivered, hath been by his special care and providence preserved entire and uncorrupt unto us; or that it doth not evidence and manifest its self to be his Word, being so preserved. Blessed may we say were the Ages past, who received the Word of God in its unquestionable power and purity, when it shone brightly in its own glorious native Light, and was free from those defects and corruptions, which through the default of men, in a long tract of time it hath contracted; but for us, as we know not well where to lay a sure foundation of believing, that this Book rather than any other doth contain what is left unto us of that Word of his, so it is impossible we should ever come to any certainty almost of any individual Word, or expression, whither it be from God or no; far be it from the thoughts of any Good man, that God whose Covenant with his Church, is, that his Word and spirit shall never depart from it. Isa. 59 21. Math. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 25. 1 Cor. 11. Math. 28. 20. hath left it in uncertainties, about the things that are the foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands.  
As than I have in the foregoing Treatise, evinced as I hope the self Evidencing Light and power of the Scripture, so let us now candidly for the sake and in the pursuit of Truth, deal with a mind freed from prejudices and disquieting Affections, save only the trouble that arises from the necessity of dissenting from the Authors of so useful a work, address ourselves to the consideration of what seems in these Prolegomena and Appendix to impair the truth of the other Assertions, about the entire preservation of the Word as given out from God, in the copies which yet remain with us. And this I shall do, not doubting, but that the Persons themselves concerned, will fairly accept and weigh, what is conscientiously tendered.  
Sect. 7. As than I do with all thankfulness acknowledge that many things are spoken very honourably of the Originals in these Prolegomena, and that they are in them absolutely preferred above any Translation whatever, 
* Prolegom. 7. sect 17.  and asserted in general as the Authentic Rule of all Versions, contrary to the thoughts of the Publisher of the great Parisian Bibles, and his infamous hyperaspistes Morinus; so as they stand in their aspect unto the Appendix of various Lections, there are both opinions, and Principles confirmed by suitable Practices, that are of the nature and importance before mentioned.  
1 After a 
* Prolegom. 3. s●c. 8. & seq.  long dispute to that purpose, it is determined, that the Hebrew Points or Vowels and Accents, are a novel Invention of some Judaical Rabbins, about 5 or 600 years after the giving out of the Gospel. Hence  
1. An Antiquity is ascribed to some Translations, 2 or 3 at the least, above and before the invention of these points, whose agreement with the Original cannot therefore by just consequence be tried by the Present Text, as now pointed and accented.  
2. The whole credit of our Reading and Interpretation of the Scripture, as far as regulated by the present punctation, depends solely on the faithfulness and skill of those Jews, whose invention this work is asserted to be.  
2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which sort are above 800 in the Hebrew Bibles, 
Prolegom. 8. Sect. 23. etc.  are various Lections, partly gathered by some Judaical Rabbins out of ancient copies, partly their critical amendments.  
And therefore  
After these various lections, as they are esteemed, are presented unto us, in their own proper order wherein they stand in the great Bibles (not surely to increase the Bulk of divers Readins, or to present a face of new variety to a less attentive Observer but) to evidence, that they are such various lections as above described, they are given us over a second time, 
Append. p. 5.  in the method whereinto they are cast by Capellus the great patriarch of these mysteries.  
3. That there are such Alterations befallen the Original, 
Prolegom. 7. sec. 12.  as in many places may be rectified by the Translations that have been made of old.  
And therefore  
Various Lections may be observed and gathered out of those Translations, 
Prolegom. 6. sect. 8, 9, 10.  by considering how they read in their copies, and wherein they differed from those which we now enjoy.  
4. It is also declared, that where any gross faults or corruptions are befallen the originals, 
Prolegom 6. sect. 12.  men may by their faculty of critical conjecturing amend them, and restore the native Lections that were lost; though in general without the Authority of Copies, this be not to be allowed.  
And therefore  
A collection of various Readins out of Grotius, consisting for the most part in such conjectures, is in the Appendix presented unto us.  
5. The voluminous Bulk of various Lections, as nakedly exhibited, seems sufficient to be get scruples and doubts in the minds of men, about the Truth of what hath been hitherto by many pretended concerning the Preservation of the Scripture through the care and providence of God.  
Sect. 8. It is known to all men acquainted with things of this nature, that in all these, there is no new opinion coined or maintained by the learned prefacer to these Bibles. The severals mentioned, have been asserted and maintained by sundry learned men. Had the opinion about them been kept in the ordinary Sphere of men's private conceptions in their own private writings, running the hazard of men's Judgements on their own strength and Reputation, I should not from my former discourse have esteemed myself concerned in them. Every one of us must give an account of himself unto God. It will be well for us, if we are found holding the foundation. If we build hay and stubble upon it, though our work perish, we shall be saved. Let every man in these things be fully persuaded in his own mind, it shall be to me no offence. It is their being laid as the foundation of the usefulness of these biblia polyglotta, with an endeavour to render them catholic, not in their own strength, but in their Appendage to the Authority, that on Good grounds is expected to this work, that calls for a due consideration of them. All men who will find them stated in these prolegomena, may not perhaps have had leisure, may not perhaps have the Ability to know what issue the most of these things have been already driven unto, in the writings of private men.  
Sect. 9 As I willingly grant then, that some of these things may without any great prejudice to the Truth, be candidly debated amongst learned men; so taking them altogether, placed in the advantages they now enjoy, I cannot but look upon them, as an engine suited to the destruction of the important truth before pleaded for; and as a fit weapon put into the hands of men of Atheistical minds and Principles, such as this Age abounds withal, to oppose the whole evidence of Truth revealed in the Scripture. I fear with some, either the pretended infallible Judge, or the depth of Atheism will be found to lie at the door of these considerations. Hoc Ithacus vellet. But the debate of the Advantage of either Romanists or Atheists from hence, belongs to another place and season. Nor is the guilt of any consequences of this nature charged on the workmen, which yet may be feared from the work its self.   

CHAP. II.  
1 Of the Purity of the Originals. 2 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture lost. 3 That of Moses, how, and how long preserved; Of the book found by Hilkiah. 4 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the New Testament. 5 Of the first copies of the originals: the Scribes of those copies not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. What is ascribed to them. 9 The great and incomparable care of the scribes of it. 7 The whole Word of God, in every Tittle of it preserved entire in the copies of the Original extant. 8 Heads of Arguments to that purpose. 9 What various lections are granted in the Original of the old and new Testament. Sundry considerations concerning them, manifesting them to be of no importance. 10. 11. 12. 13. That the Jews have not corrupted the Text; the most probable instances considered.  
Sect. 1. HAving given an account of the Occasion of this discourse, and mentioned the particulars that are, all, or some of them, to be taken into further consideration, before I proceed to their discussion, I shall by way of Addition, and Explanation to what hath been delivered in the former Treatise, give a brief account of my Apprehensions concerning the purity of the present Original copies of the Scripture, or rather copies of the Original languages, which the Church of God doth now, and hath for many Ages enjoyed, as her chiefest Treasure; whereby it may more fully appear, what it is, we plead for and defend against the insinuations and pretences above mentioned.  
Sect. 2. First then, it is granted that the individual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles, are in all probability, and as to all that we know, utterly perished and lost out of the world. As also the copies of Ezra. The 
* Adrianus Ferrariensi● flagellum Judaeor: lib. 9 6. 2. Rab: Azarias' Me● or Henaim. pa. 13. cap. 9  Reports mentioned by some to the contrary, are open fictions. The individual Ink and Parchment, the Rolls or books that they wrote, could not without a miracle have been preserved from mouldering into dust before this time. Nor doth it seem improbable, that God was willing by their loss to reduce us to a nearer consideration of his care and Providence in the preservation of every Tittle contained in them. Had those individual writings been preserved, men would have been ready to adore them, as the Jews do their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues.  
Sect. 3. Moses indeed delivered his original copy of the Pentateuch, in a public Assembly unto the Levites, (that is, the sons of Korah) to be put into the sides of the Ark, and there kept for a perpetual monument. Deut. 31. 25, 26. That individual Book was, I doubt not, preserved until the destruction of the Temple. There is indeed no mention made of the Book of the Law in particular, when the Ark was solemnly carried into the Holy place after the building of Solomon's Temple; 2 Chron. 5. 4, 5. But the Tabernacle of the congregation continued until then. That, and all that was in it, is said to be brought up: v. 5. Now the placing of the Book by the sides of the Ark, being so solemn an Ordinance, it was no doubt observed. Nor is there any pretence to the contrary. Some think the Book found by Hilkiah, in the days of Josiah, was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses, which was placed by the sides of the Ark. It rather seems to have been some ancient Sacred copy, used in the service of the Temple, and laid up there; as there was in the second Temple, 
joseph: de B●l●. Judaic. lib. 7. cap. 24.  which was carried in Triumph to Rome. For besides that he speaks of his finding it in general in the house of the Lord, upon the occasion of the work which was then done, 2 Chron. 14. 15. which was not, in, or about the Holy place, where he, who was high Priest, knew full well this book was kept, it doth not appear that it was lawful for him to take that sacred depositum from its peculiar Archives to send it abroad, as he dealt with that Book which he found. Nay doubtless it was altogether unlawful for him so to have done, it being placed there by a peculiar Ordinance, for a peculiar or special End. After the destruction of the Temple, all enquiry after that Book is in vain. The Author of the 2d Book of Maccabees mentions not its hiding in Nebo by Jeremiah, with the Ark and Altar; or by Josiah, as say some of the Talmudists. Nor were it of any importance if they had. Of the Scripture preserved in the Temple at its last destruction, Josphus gives us a full account: de bello Juda: lib. 7. cap. 24.  
Sect. 4. For the Scriptures of the new Testament, it doth not appear, that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the several Writers of it were ever gathered into one Volume; there being now no one Church to keep them for the rest. The Epistles though immediately transcribed for the use of other Churches: Col. 4. 16, were doubtless kept in the several Churches, whereunto they were directed. 
1 Tim. 2. 1.  From those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there were quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, transcribed copies given out to faithful men, whilst the infallible spirit yet continued his guidance in an extraordinary manner.  
Sect. 5. For the first Transcribers of the Original copies, and those who in succeeding Ages have done the like work from them, whereby they have been propagated and continued down to us, in a subserviency to the Providence and Promise of God, we say not, as is vainly charged by Morinus, and Capellus, that they were all or any of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, infallible and divinely inspired, so that it was impossible for them in any thing to mistake. It is known, it is granted, that failings have been amongst them, and that various Lections are from thence risen, of which afterwards. Religious care and diligence in their work, with a due Reverence of him, with whom they had to do, is all we ascribe unto them. Not to acknowledge these freely in them, without clear and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary, is high uncharitableness, impiety, and ingratitude. This care and diligence we say, in a subserviency to the Promise, and Providence of God, hath produced the Effect contended for. Nor is any thing further necessary thereunto. On this account to argue (as some do) from the miscarriages and mistakes of men, their Oscitancy and negligence in transcribing the old Heathen Authors, Homer, Aristotle, Tully, we think it not tolerable in a Christian, or any one that hath the least sense of the nature and importance of the Word, or the care of God towards his Church. Shall we think that men who wrote out Books, wherein themselves and others were no more concerned, than it is possible for men to be in the writings of the Persons mentioned, and others like them, had as much Reason to be careful and diligent in that they did, as those who knew and considered that every letter and Tittle that they were transcribing, was part of the Word of the Great God, wherein the eternal concernment of their own souls, and the souls of others did lie. Certainly whatever may be looked for from the Religious care and diligence of men, lying under a loving and careful Aspect from the Promise and Providence of God, may be justly expected from them who undertook that work. However we are ready to own all their failings, that can be proved. To assert in this case without proof is injurious.  
Sect. 6. The Jews have a common saying among them, that to alter one letter of the Law is no less sin, then to set the whole world on fire; and shall we think that in writing it, they took no more care than a man would do in writing out Aristotle or Plato, who for a very little portion of the world, would willingly have done his endeavour to get both their works out of it? Considering that the Word to be transcribed was every Title and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it the Word of the great God, that, that which was written, and as written was proposed as his, as from him, that if any failings were made, innumerable Eyes of men, owning their eternal concernment to lie in that Word, were open upon it to discover it, and that thousands of Copies were extant to try it by▪ and all this known unto, and confessed by every one that undertook this work; it is no hard matter to prove their care and diligence to have out gone that of other common scribes of Heathen Authors. The Truth is, they are prodigious things that are related of the exact diligence and reverential care of the ancient Jews in this work, especially when they entrusted a Copy to be a Rule for the trial and standard of other private copies. Maimonides in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 8. 3, 4; tells us that Ben Asher spent many years in the careful exact writing out of the Bible. Let any man consider the 20 things, which they affirm to profane a Book or Copy, and this will farther appear. They are repeated by Rabbi Moses. Tract at. de libro Legis. cap. 10; one of them, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if but one letter be wanting; and an other, if but one letter be redundant. Of which more shall be spoken if occasion be offered.  
Even among the Heathen, we will scarce think that the Roman Pontifices, going solemnly to transcribe the Sibyl's verses, would do it either negligently or treacherously, or alter one Tittle from what they found written; and shall we entertain such thoughts of them, who knew they had to do with the living God, and that in and about that, which is dearer to him, than all the world besides. Let men then clamour as they please, and cry out of all men as ignorant and stupid which will not grant the corruptions of the old Testament which they plead for, which is the way of Morinus; or let them propose their own conjectures of the ways of the entrance of the mistakes that they pretend are crept into the original copies, with their Remedies, which is the way of Capellus, we shall acknowledge nothing of this nature but what they can prove by undeniable, and irrefragable instances, which as to any thing as yet done by them, or those that follow in their footsteps, appears upon the matter to be nothing at all. To this purpose take our sense in the word of a very learned man. Ut in iis libris qui sine vocalibus conscripti sunt, certum constantémque exemplarium omnium, tum excusarum scriptionem similémque omnino comperimus, sic in omnibus etiam iis quibus puncta sunt addita, non aliam cuipiam nec Discrepantem aliis punctationem observavimus; nec quisquam est qui ullo in loco diversa lectionis Hebraicae exemplaria ab iis quae circumferuntur, vidisse se asserat, modo Grammaticam rationem observatam dicat. Et quidem Dei consilio ac voluntate factum putamus, ut cum magna Graecorum Latinorúmque ferè omnium ejusdem auctoris exemplarium, ac praesertim manuscriptorū pluribus in locis varietas deprehendatur, magna tamen in omnibus Hebraicis quaecunq, nostro saeculo inveninutur, Bib iis, scriptionis aequalitas, similitudo atque constantia servetur quocunque modo scripta illa sint, sive solis consonantibus constent, sive punctis etiam instructa visantur; Arias Montan. Praefat. ad Bibia Interlin. de varia Hebraicorum librorum scriptione & lectione.  
It can then with no colour of probability be asserted, 
Prolegom. 7. Sect. 12.  (which yet I find some learned men too free in granting) namely that there hath the same Fate attended the Scripture in its transcription, as hath done other Books. Let me say without offence; this imagination asserted on deliberation, seems to me to border on Atheism. Surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word, with his Love and Care of his Church, of whose faith and obedience that word of his is the only Rule, require other thoughts at our hands.  
Sect. 7. 3ly. We add that the whole scripture entire, as given out from God, without any loss, is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining; What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared; in them all, we say, is every letter and Title of the Word. These Copies we say, are the Rule, standard and touchstone of all Translations ancient or modern, by which they are in all things to be examined, tried, corrected, amended, and themselves only by themselves. Translations contain the Word of God, and are the Word of God, perfectly or imperfectly according as they express the words, sense and meaning of those originals. To advance any, all Translations concurring, into an Equality with the Originals, so to set them by it, as to set them up with it, on even terms, much more to propose and use them as means of castigating, amending, altering any thing in them, gathering various lections by them, is to set up an Altar of our own by the Altar of God, and to make equal the Wisdom, care, skill and diligence of men, with the wisdom, care and Providence of God himself. It is a foolish conjecture of Morinus from some words of Epiphanius, that Origen in his Octopla placed the Translation of the 70 in the midst, to be the Rule of all the Rest; even of the Hebrew its self, that was to be regulated and amended by it. (media igitur omnium catholica editio collocata erat, ut ad eam Hebraea caeter aeque editiones exigerentur & emendarentur; Excercit. lib. 1. cap. 3. pag. 15.) The Truth is, he placed the Hebrew, in Hebrew Characters in the first place as the Rule and standard of all the rest; the same in Greek Characters in the next place, then that of Aquila, then that of Symmachus, after which, in the fifth place followed that of the 70 mixed with that of Theodotion.  
Sect. 8. The various Arguments giving Evidence to this Truth that might be produced, are too many for me now to insist upon; and would take up more room than is allotted to the whole discourse, should I handle them at large and according to the merit of this cause. 1. The Providence of God in taking care of his Word, which he hath magnified above all his name, as the most Glorious Product of his Wisdom and Goodness, his great concernment in this world, answering his promise to this purpose; 2ly. The Religious care of the Church (I speak not of the Romish Synagogue) to whom these Oracles of God were committed. 3ly. The care of the first Writers in giving out Authentic Copies of what they had received from God, unto many which might be Rules to the first transcribers. 4ly. The multiplying copies to such a number, that it was impossible any should corrupt them all, wilfully or by negligence. 5ly. The preservation of the Authentic copies: first in the Jewish Synagogues, then in Christian Assemblies, with Reverence and diligence. 6ly. The daily Reading and studying of the Word by all sorts of Persons ever since it's first writing, rendering every Alteration liable to immediate observation and discovery, and that all over the world: with, 7ly. The consideration of the many millions that looked on every Tittle and letter in this Book as their inheritance, 
Hierosolymis Babilonica expugnatione deletis, omne instrumentum Judaicae literaturae per Esdram constat restauratum. Tertull. lib. de Hab. Mal. c. 3.  which for the whole world they would not be deprived of; And in particular for the old Testament (now most Questioned) 8ly. The care of Ezra and his companions, the men of the great Synagove, in restoring the Scripture to its purity, when it had met with the greatest trial that it ever underwent in this World considering the paucity of the Copies then extant. 9ly. The care of the Massorites from his days and downward, to keep perfect, and give an account of every syllable in the Scripture, of which see Buxtorfius: Com: Mas: with 10; The constant consent of all copies in the world, so that as sundry learned men have observed, there is not in the whole Mishna, Gemara, or either Talmud, any one place of Scripture found otherwise read, then as it is now in our copies. 11. The security we have that no mistakes were voluntarily or negligently brought into the Text before the coming of our Saviour who was to declare all things, in that he not once reproves the Jews on that account, 
Quod si aliquis dixerit Hebraeos libros à Judaets esse falsatos, audiat Originem, quid in octavo volumine explanati●num Esaiae respondeat Quaestiunculae; Quod nunquam dominus & Apostoli qui caetera crimina arguunt in Scribis & Pharisaeis, de hoc crimine quod erat Maximum reticuissent. Sin autem dixerint post ad ventum domini & praedicationem Apostolorum libros Hebraeos f●●sse falsatos Ca●hinnum tenere non patero. Hierom. in c. 6. Esaiae.  when yet for their false Glosses on the word he spares them not. 12. Afterwards the watchfulness which the two nations of Jews and Christians, had always one upon another, with sundry things of the like importance might to this purpose be insisted on. But of these things I shall speak again if occasion be offered.  
Sect. 9 Notwithstanding what hath been spoken, we grant that there are, and have been various Lections in the old Testament and the new; For the old Testament the Keri and Cethib; the various Readins of Ben Asher and Ben Nepthali; of the Eastern and Western Jew's evince it. Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall speak peculiarly afterwards: They present themselves to the view of every one that but looks into the Hebrew Bible. At the End of the great rabbinical Bibles (as they are called) printed by Bombergias at Venice, as also in the Edition of Buxtorfius at Basil, there is a Collection of the various Readins of Ben Asher, and Ben Nepthali; of the Eastern and Western Jews; We have them also in this Appendix. For the two first mentioned, they are called among the Jews, one of them, R: Aaron the Son of R. Moses of the Tribe of Asher; the other R: Moses the Son of David, of the Tribe of Nepthali. They flourished, as is probable among the Jews, about the year of Christ 1030, or thereabouts; & were Teachers of great renown, the former in the West or Palestina, the latter in the East, or Babylon. In their exact consideration of every letter, point, and accent of the Bible wherein they spent their lives, it seems they found out some varieties; Let any one run them through as they are presented in this Appendix, he will find them to be so small, consisting for the most part in unnecessary accents of no importance to the sense of any word, that they deserve not to be taken notice of. For the various Readins of the Oriental, or Babylonian, and Occidental or Palestine Jew's, all that I know of them, (and I wish that those that know more of them would inform me better) is that they first appeared in the Edition of the Bible by Bombergius under the care of Felix Pratensis, gathered by R: Jacob Ben Cajim who corrected that impression. But they give us no account of their Original. Nor (to profess my ignorance) do I know any that do, it may be some do; but in my present haste, I cannot inquire after them. But the thing it's self proclaims their no importance, and Capellus the most skilful and diligent improver of all Advantages for impairing the Authority of the Hebrew Text, so to give countenance to his Critica Sacra, confesses that they are all trivial, and not in matters of any moment. Besides these, there are no other various lections of the old Testament. The conjectures of men, conceited of their own Abilities to correct the word of God, are not to be admitted to that Title. If any other can be gathered, or shall be hereafter out of ancient copies of credit and esteem, where no mistake can be discovered as their cause, they deserve to be considered. Men must here deal by instances not conjectures. All that yet appears, impairs not in the least the Truth of our Assertion, that every Tittle and letter of the Word of God, remains in the copies preserved by his merciful Providence for the use of his Church.  
Sect. 10. As to Jews, besides the mad and senseless clamour in General for corrupting the Scriptures, three things are with most pretence of Reason objected against them. 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tikkun Sopherim; or correctio scribarum, by which means it is confessed by Elias, that 18 places are corrected. But all things are here uncertain, uncertain that ever any such things were done; uncertain who are intended by their Sopherim; Ezra and his companions most probably; nor do the particular places enumerated discover any such correction; They are all in particular considered by Glassius, lib. 1. Tract. 1; but the whole ter is satisfactory determined by Buxtorfius in his letters to Glassius, printed by him, and repeated again by Amama, Anti: Barb: Bib: lib: 1. pag. 30. 31. Because this thing is much insisted on by Galatinus, to prove the Jews corrupting of the Text, it may not be amiss to set down the words of that great Master of all Jewish learning.  
Sect. 11. Ad tertium quaesitum tuum, de Tikkun Sopherim, 18 voces hanc censuram suhiisse Massora passim notat. Recensio locorum in vestibulo libri Numerorum, & Ps. 106. Utrobique non nisi 16 recensentur, sed in Num. 12. 12. duo exempla occurrunt, ut notat R: Solomon. Dost ergo unus locus mihi, quem ex nullo Judaeo hactenus expiscari potui, nec magnus ille Mercerus eum invenit. Galatinus hoc thema non intellexit, & aliena exemplaadmiscet Sic & alii qui corruptiones ista esse putant. Nec ullum hactenus ex nostris sive Evangelicis sive Catholicis vidi, qui explicârit, quae fuerint Scribae isti, & quales 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsorum. quam antiquae hae notae de Tikkun sint, liquidò mihi nondum constat. Antiquior ipsarum memoria est in libro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui ante Talmud Babilonicum fertur conscriptus. Dissentiunt tamen Hebraei; de ejus autore & tempore. In Talmud neutro ulla planè istius Tikkun mentio fit, cum alias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long minoris negotii in Talmud commemoretur. Si aliter ista loca fuissent aliquando scripta, Onkelos & Jonathan id vel semel expressissent. Nec Josephus reticuisset, qui contrarium Hebraeis adscribit, nullam scilicet unquam literam mutatam fuiste in lege ab Hebraeis popularibus suis, lib. 1. contra Appionem. Talmudistae in Levit. 27. vers. ult. diversis locis notant, nec Prophetae ulli licitum fuisse vel minimum in Lege mutare vel innovare. Quomodo ergo Scribae quidam vulgares hanc audaciam sibi arrogâssent, textum sacrum in literis & sensu corrigere? In silentio itaque omnium, in aurem tibi dico, Sopherim hosce fuisse ipsos autores sacros, Mosen & Prophetas, qui nunquam aliter scripserunt, quam hodiè scriptum legitur. At sapientes Hebraeorum nasutiores, animadvertentes inconvenientiam quandam in istis locis, scripserunt, aliter istos autores loqui debuisse, & secundùm cohaerentiam propositi textus, sic vel sic scribere, sed pro eo maluisse sic scribere, & id sic efferre, ut illud hodie in textu est. Veluti Gen. 18. 22. lectum scriptum, & Abraham adhuc stabat coram Domino. Itáne? ubi legitur, inquiunt sapientes, quòd Abraham venerit ad Dominum, & steterit coram eo; Contrarium dicitur in praecedentibus, DEUS scilicet venit ad Abraham, & dixit ad eum: Num ego celo ab Abrahamo etc. Clamour Sodomae & Gomorrhae magnus est etc. Ideoque Moses scribere debuit. Et Dominus adhuc stabat coram Abrahamo. At ita serviliter de DEO loqui non decuit Mosen, unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 correxit & mutavit stylum sermonis, honoris majoris causâ, & dixit: Et Abraham adhuc stabat etc. Hinc R: Salamo adjicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scribendum ipsi (Mosi) erat, (Sen) scribere debebat, Et Dominus stabat; non quòd aliter sic scripserit anteâ, & postea id ab aliis Scribis correctum sit, aut corruptum. Hinc R. Aben Ezra. ad aliquot loca irridet nasutos, inquiens, nullo Tikkun opus fuisse, id est, nihil esse, quod nasuti isti sapientes put ârint, autorem debuisse aliter ibi loqui vel scribere. Vide & eum Job. 32. 3. Habes Mysterium prolixè explicatum, in quo & multi Hebraeorum impegerunt. Thus far Buxtorfius.  
Sect. 12. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are insisted on by the same Galatinus; but these are only about the use of the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four or five times; which seem to be of the same rise with them foregoing.  
13. Sect. But that which makes the greatest cry at present is the corruption of Psal. 22. 17; where instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the 70 translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they digged or pierced, that is, my hands and feet, the present Judaical copies, as the Antwerp Bibles also, read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Lion, so depraving the Prophecy of our Saviour's suffering, they digged or pierced my hands & my feet; leaving it no sense at all; as a Lion my hands and my feet. Simyon de Mues upon the place, pleads the substitution of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a late corruption of the Jews; at least that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Keri, and was left out by them. Johannes Isaak, lib. 2. ad Lindan: professes that when he was a Jew, he saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a book of his Grandfathers: Buxtorfe affirms one to have been the Cethib, the other the Keri, and proves it from the Massora; and blames the Antwerp Bibles for printing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the line. With him agree, Genebrard, Pagnin: Vatablus, Mercer, Rivet, etc. Others contend that Cariola, as a Lion, aught to be retained; repeating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they compassed me about; affirming also that word to signify to tear, rent, & strike, so that the sense should be, they tore my hands and feet as a Lion. So Voetius de insolubil: Scripturae; but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be here rendered sicut lo, most evince, partly from the anomalous position of the praefix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Camets', but chiefly from the Massora, affirming that that word is taken in another sense than it is used, Esa. 38. 13; where it expressly signifies as a lion: the shorter determination is, that from the radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Epenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the change which is used often of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as in the same manner it is, Ezra 10, and the last) in the third person plural, the preterperfect tense of Kal, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfoderunt, they digged, or pierced through my hands and my feet; but to what purpose is this gleaning after the vintage of Mr Pococke to this purpose, in his excellent miscellanies.  
Sect. 14. The place of old instanced in by Justine Martyr, Ps. 96. v. 10. Where he charges the Jews to have taken out those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ from the wood; making the sense, the Lord reigned from the wood, or the Tree, so pointing out the death of Christ on the Cross, is exploded by all: For besides that he speaks of the 70, not of the Hebrew Text, it is evident that those words were foisted into some few copies of that Translation, never being generally received, as is manifested by Fuller Miscellan: l. 3. Cap. 13. And it is a pretty story, that Arias Montanus tells us, of a learned man (I suppose he means Lindanus) pretending that those words were found in an Hebrew Copy of the Psalms of Venerable Antiquity beyoud all exception here in England; which Copy coming afterwards to his hand, he found to be a spurious, corrupt novel Transcript, wherein yet the pretended words were not to be found: Arias Mont. Apparat. de variis lec: Heb. & Mass: and I no way doubt, but that we want opportunity to search and sift some of the copies that men set up against the common reading in sundry places of the new Testament, we should find them, not one whit better, or of more worth than he found that copy of the Psalms.   

CHAP. III.  
Of various lections in the Greek Copies of the new Testament.  
Sect. 1. FOR Various Lections in the Greek Copies of the new Testament, we know with what diligence and industry, they have been collected by some, and what improvement hath been made of those Collections by others. Protestants for the most part have been the chiefest collectors of them; Stephanus, Camerarius, Beza, Camero, Grotius, Drusius, Hensius, D'Dieu, Capellus, all folrowing Erasmus, have had the prime hand in that work. Papists have ploughed with their Heifer to disparage the original, and to cry up the vulgar Latin; A specimen of their endeavours we have in the late virulent Exercitations of Morinus. At first very few were observed. What an heap or Bulk they are now swelled unto, we see in this Appendix. The collection of them makes up a Book bigger than the new Testament itself. Of those that went before, most gave us only what they found in some particular Copies that themselves were possessors of; some those only which they judged of importance, or that might make some pretence to be considered whether they were proper or no; Here we have all, that by any means could be brought to hand, and that whether they are tolerably attested for various lections or no; for as to any contribution unto the better understanding of the Scripture from them; it cannot be pretended. And whether this work may yet grow, I know not.  
Sect. 2. That there are in some Copies of the new Testament, and those some of them of some Good Antiquity, divers Readins, in things or words of less importance is acknowledged; the proof of it lies within the reach of most, in the Copies that we have; and I shall not solicit the reputation of those who have afforded us others, out of their own private furniture. That they have been all needlessly heaped up together, if not to an eminent scandal is no less evident. Let us then take a little view of their rise and importance.  
Sect. 3. That the Grecian, was once as it were the vulgar language of the whole world of Christians is known. The writing of the new Testament in that language in part found it so, and in part made it so. What Thousands? yea what millions of copies of the new Testament were then in the world, all men promiscuously reading and studying of the scripture, cannot be reckoned. That so many Transcriptions, most of them by private Persons, for private use, having a standard of correction in their public Assemblies ready to relieve their mistakes, should be made without some variation, is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. From the copies of of the first Ages, others in the succeeding have been transcribed, according as men had opportunity. From those which are come down to the hands of learned men in this latterage, whereof very few or none at all, are of any considerable Antiquity, have men made it their business to collect the various Readins we speak of; with what usefulness & serviceableness to the Churches of God, others that look on must be allowed their liberty to Judge. We know the Vanity, Curiosity, Pride, and naughtiness of the heart of man: How ready we are to please ourselves, with things that seem singular and remote from the observation of the many; and how ready to publish them as evidences of our Learning and diligence, let the fruit and issue be what it will. Hence it is come to pass, not to question the credit of any man speaking of his M S S, (which is wholly swallowed in this Appendix) that whatever varying word, syllable, or Tittle, could be by any observed, wherein any Book, though of yesterday, varyeth from the common received copy, though manifestly a mistake, superfluous, or deficient, inconsistent with the sense of the place, yea barbarous, is presently imposed on us as a various lection.  
Sect. 4. As than I shall not speak any thing to derogate from the worth of their Labour who have gathered all these various Readins into one body or volume, so I presume I may take liberty without offence to say, I should more esteem of theirs, who would endeavour to search and trace out these pretenders, to their several originals, and rejecting the spurious brood that hath now spawned its self over the face of so much paper, that aught by no means to be brought into competition with the common Reading, would reduce them to such a necessary number, whose consideration might be of some other use, then merely to create a Temptation to the Reader, that nothing is left sound and entire in the word of God.  
However now Satan seems to have exerted the utmost of his malice, men of former Ages the utmost of their negligence, of these latter Ages of their diligence, the Result of all which, we have in the present collection in this Appendix, with them that rightly ponder things there ariseth nothing at all to the prejudice of our Assertion, as may possibly, God assisting, be further manifested hereafter in the particular consideration of some, or all of these divers Readins therein exhibited unto us. Those which are of importance, have been already considered by others; especially Glassius; Tract. 1. lib. 1.  
Sect. 5. It is evident that the design of this Appendix was to gather together every thing of this sort, that might by any means be afforded; At the Present, that the Reader may not be too much startled at the fruit of their diligence, whose work and labour it was, I shall only remark concerning it some few things that on a general view of it occur unto me.  
Sect. 6. 1. Then here is professedly no choice made, nor judgement used in discerning, which may indeed be called various Lections; but all differences whatever that could be found in any copies, printed or written, are equally given out. Hence many differences that had been formerly rejected by learned men for open corruptions, are here tendered us again. The very first observation in the Treatise next printed unto this collection in the Appendix itself, rejects one of the varieties, as a corruption. So have some others of them been by Arias Montanus, Camero, and many more. It is not every variety or difference in a copy that should presently be cried up for a various Reading. A man might with as good colour and pretence take all the printed copies he could get, of various editions, and gathering out the errata Typographica, print them for various Lections, as give us many, I shall say the most of these in this Appendix, under that name. It may be said indeed, that the Composers of this Appendix found it not incumbent on them, to make any judgement of the Readins, which de facto they found in the copies they perused, but merely to represent what they so found, leaving the judgement of them unto others; I say also it may be so; and therefore as I do not reflect on them, nor their diligence, so I hope they nor others, will not be offended, that I give this notice of what Judgement remains yet to be made concerning them.  
Sect. 7. 2 Whereas Beza, who is commonly blamed by men of all sides and parties, for making too bold upon various lections, hath professedly stigmatised his own M S, that he sent unto Cambridge, as so corrupt in the Gospel of Luke, that he durst not publish the various lections of it, for fear of offence and scandal, however he thought it had not fallen into the hands of Heretics, that had designedly depraved it; we have here, if I mistake not, all the corruptions of that copy given us as various Readins; for though I have not seen the copy its self, yet the swelling of the various lections in that Gospel, into a bulk as big or bigger, than the collection of all the new Testament besides the Gospels and Acts, wherein that copy is cited 1440 times, puts it out of all question that so we are dealt withal: Now if this course be taken, and every stigmatised copy may be searched for differences, and these presently printed to be various readings, there is no doubt but we may have enough of them to frighten poor unstable souls into the arms of the pretended infallible guide; I mean as to the use that will be made of this work, by such persons as Morinus.  
Sect. 8. 3 I am not without Apprehensions that opere in longo obrepsit somnus, and that whilst the learned Collectors had their hands and minds busied about other things, some mistakes did fall into this work of gathering these various lections. Some things I meet withal in it, that I profess, I cannot bring to any good consistency among themselves; to let pass particular instances, and insist on one only of a more general and eminent importance. In the entrance unto this collection an account is given us of the antiert copies, out of which these observations are made; Among the rest one of them is said to be an ancient copy in the Library of Emanuel College in Cambridge: this is noted by the letters Em: throughout the whole collection. Now whereas it is told us in those preliminary cautions and observations, that it contains only Paul's Epistles, I wonder how it is come to pass, that so many various lections in the Gospels and Acts, as in the farrago its self are fixed on the credit of that book, could come to be gathered out of a copy of Paul's Epistles; certainly here must be some mistake, either in the learned Authors of the previous directions, or by those employed to gather the varieties following; And it may be supposed that that mistake goes not alone; so that upon a farther consideration of particulars, it may be, we shall not find them so clearly attested, as at first view they seem to be. It would indeed be a miracle, if in a work of that variety many things should not escape the eye of the most diligent observer.  
Sect. 9 I am not then upon the whole matter out of hopes, but that upon a diligent review of all these various Lections, they may be reduced to a less offensive, and less formidable number; Let it be remembered that the vulgar copy we use, was the public possession of many generations; that upon the invention of Printing, it was in actual authority throughout the World, with them that used and understood that Language, as far as any thing appears to the contrary. Let that then pass for the standard which is confessedly its right and due, and we shall God assisting quickly see, how little reason there is to pretend such varieties of Readins, as we are now surprised withal. For 1. Let those places be separated, which are not sufficiently attested unto, so as to pretend to be various lections: it being against all pretence of Reason, that every mistake of every obscure private copy, perhaps not above 2 or 300 years old, (or if elder) should be admitted as a various lection, against the concurrent consent of it may be all others that are extant in the world, and that without any congruity of Reason, as to the sense of the Text where it is fallen out. Men may if they please take pains to inform the world, wherein such and such copies are corrupted, or mistaken, but to impose their known failings on us as various lections, is a course not to be approved.  
2. Let the same judgement, and that deservedly, pass on all those different places, which are altogether inconsiderable, consisting in accents or the change of a letter, not in the least entrenching on the sense of the place, or giving the least intimation of any other sense to be possibly gathered out of them, but what is in the approved reading; to what end should the minds of men be troubled with them or about them, being evident mistakes of the scribes, and of no importance at all.  
3. Let them also be removed from the pretences which carry their own convictions along with them, that they are spurious, either 1 By their superfluity or redundancy of unnecessary Words, or 2ly their deficiency in words, evidently necessary to the sense of their places, or 3. their incoherence with the Text in their several stations, or 4. evidence of being intended as expository of difficulties, having been moved and assoiled by some of the ancients upon the places, and their resolutions being intimated; or 5. are foisted out of the 70, as many places out of the new have been asserted into that copy of the old; or 6. are taken out of one place in the same penman, and are used in another, or 7. are apparently taken out of one Gospel, and supplied in another, to make out the sense of the place; or 8. have been corrected by the Vulgar Latin, which hath often fallen out in some copies, as Lucas Brugensis shows us on Math. 17. 2. Mark. 1. 38. & 7. 4. and sundry other places; or 9 arise out of Copies apparently corrupted, like that of Beza in Luke, and that in the Vatican, boasted of by Huntly the Jesuit, which Lucas Brugensis affirms to have been changed by the Vulgar Latin, and was written & corrected, as Erasmus says, about the Council of Florence, when an agreement was patched up between the Greeks and Latins; or 10. are notoriously corrupted by the old Heretics, as ● Joh. 5. 7. Unto which heads, many, yea the most of the various l●ctions collected in this Appendix may be referred; I say if this work might be done with care and diligence (whereunto I earnestly exhort some in this University, who have both ability and leisure for it) it would quickly appear, how small the number is of those varieties in the Greek copies of the new Testament, which may pretend unto any consideration under the state and Title of various Lections; and of how very little importance they are, to weaken in any measure my former Assertion concerning the care and providence of God in the preservation of his Word. But this is a work of more time and leisure, than at present I am possessor of; what is to come, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. In the mean time I doubt not, but to hear tidings from Rome concerning this variety; no such Collection having as yet been made in the world.   

CHAP. IU.  
1 General Premises. 2 Opinions prejudicial to the Authority of the Originals in the Prolegomena, enumerated. 4 The just consequences of those Premises. 5 Others engaged in these opinions: of Capellus. 6 Of Origen, Cimenius, Arias Montanus Editions of the Bible.  
Sect. 1. HAving now declared in what sense, and with what Allowance as to various lections, I maintain the Assertion laid down in the foregoing Treatise, concerning the providential preservation of the whole Book of God, so that we may have full Assurance, that we enjoy the whole Revelation of his will, in the copies abiding amongst us, I shall now proceed to weigh what may be objected further, (beyond what hath already been insisted on) against the Truth of it, from the Prolegomena and Appendix to the Biblia Polyglotta, at the entrance of our discourse proposed to consideration.  
Sect. 2. 1. To speak somewhat of them in General, I must crave leave to say, and it being but the Representation of men's avowed Judgements, I hope I may say without offence, that together with many high and honourable expressions concerning the Originals, setting aside the incredible figment, of the Jews corrupting the Bible out of hatred to the Christians, which being first supposed by Justin Martyr (though he speak of the Septuagint only) hath scarce found one or two since to own it, but is rejected by the Universality of learned men, ancient and Modern, unless some few Papists mad upon their Idols, and the Thesis preferring in general this or that Translation above the Original, there is no opinion that I know of, that was ever ventilated among Christians, tending to the depression of the worth, or impairing the esteem of the Hebrew copies, which is not directly, or by just consequence owned in these Prolegomena. Thence it is contended that the Present Hebrew Character is not that used by God himself, and in the old Church before the captivity of Babylon, but it is the Chaldean, the other being left to the Samaritans; That the Points, or vowels and accents are a late invention of the Tiberian Massorites, long after sundry Translations were extant in the world; That the Keri Uketif are critical notes, consisting partly of various lections gathered by the late Massorites and Rabbins; That considering how oft times in likelihood Translators read the Text before the invention of the Points and accents, the Present Reading may be corrected and amended by them, and that because the old Translators had other copies, or differing copies from them which we now enjoy. That where gross faults are crept into the Hebrew Text, men may by their own conjectures find out various lections, whereby they may be amended; and to this purpose an instance of such various lections, or rather corrections of the Original is in the Appendix exhibited unto us out of Grotius. That the Books of the Scriptures have had the fate of other Books; by passing through the hands of many Transcribers, they have upon them the marks of their negligence, ignorance and sloth.  
Sect. 3. Now truly I cannot but wish that some other way had been found out to give esteem and reputation to this noble collection of Translations, then by espousing these opinions, so prejudicial to the Truth and Authority of the Originals. And it may be justly feared, that where one will relieve himself against the Uncertainty of the Originals, by the considerations of the various Translations here exhibited unto us, being such, as upon trial they will be found to be, many will be ready to question the foundation of all.  
Sect. 4. It is true, the Learned Prefacer owns not those wretched consequences, that some have laboured to draw from these Premises; yet it must be acknowledged also, that sufficient security against the lawful deriving those consequences from these Premises, is not tendered unto us; He says not, that, because this is the state of the Hebrew Language and Bible, therefore all things in it are dubious and uncertain, easy to be turned unto various senses, not fit to be a Rule for the Trial of other Translations, though he knows full well who thinks this a just consequence from the opinion of the novelty of the vowels; and himself grants that all our knowledge of the Hebrew is taken from the Translation of the 70, as he is quoted to that purpose by Morinus; Praefat. ad opuse: Hebrae: Samarit. He concludes not, that on these accounts we must rely upon as infallible living Judge, and the Translation that he shall commend unto us; though he knows full well who do so; & himself gives it a for rule, that at the correction of the Original, we have the consent of the guides of the Church: I could desire than I say, that sufficient security may be tendered us against these inferences, before the premises be embraced; seeing great and wise men, as we shall further see anon, do suppose them naturally and necessarily to flow from them.  
Sect. 5. It is confessed that some learned men, even among the Protestants, have heretofore vented these or some of these paradoxes: especially Capellus in his arcanum punctationis revelatum, Critica sacra, and other Treatises: in the defence whereof, as I hear, he still laboureth, being unwilling to suffer loss in the fruit of so great pains. What will become of his reply unto Buxtorfius in the defence of his Critica, I know not: reports are that it is finished; And it is thought he must once more fly to the Papists by the help of his Son, a great zealot amongst them, as he did with his Critica to get it published. The generality of learned men among Protestants are not yet infected with this leaven. Nor indeed do I find his boldness in conjecturing approved in these Prolegomena. But let it be free for men to make known their judgements in the severals mentioned. It hath been so, and may it abide so still. Had not this great and useful Work been prefaced with the stating of them, it had not been of public Concernment (as now it seems to be) to have taken notice of them.  
Sect. 6. Besides it is not known whither this inconvenience will grow. Origen in his octupla, as was declared, fixed the Hebrew original as the Rule and measure of all Translations. In the reviving of that kind of work by Zimenius in the Complutensian Bibles, its Station is left unto it. Arias Montanus who followed in their steps (concerning whose performances under his master the King of Spain) I may say for sundry Excellencies, nil oriturum alias, nil ortum tale) was religiously careful to maintain the purity of the Originals, publishing the Hebrew verity (as it is called by Hierome, Austin, and others of the Ancients) as the rule of Examining by it all translations whatever; 
Morln. Exerci: de Heb. Text. sinc. lib. 1. Ex. 1. cap. 4.  for which he is since accused of Ignorance by a petulant Jesuit, that never deserved to carry his books after him. Michael le Jay hath given a turn to this progress, and in plain terms exalts a corrupt Translation above the Originals; and that upon the principle under consideration, as is abundantly manifest from Morinus. And if this Change of judgement which hath been long insinuating itself, by the curiosity and boldness of Critics, should break in also upon the Protestant World, and be avowed in public works, it is easy to conjecture what the End will be. We went from Rome under the conduct of the purity of the Originals, I wish none have a mind to return thither again, under the pretence of their corruption.   

CHAP. IU.  
1. The original of the Points proposed to consideration in particular. 2 The importance of the points to the right understanding of the Scripture; the testimony of Morinus, Junius, Johannes Isaac, Cevallerius, and others. 3 The use made by the Papists of the opinion of the Novelty of the Points. 4 The importance of the Points farther manifested. The extreme danger of making the Hebrew Punctation Arbitrary. 5 That danger evinced by Instance. 6 No relief against that Danger, on the grounds of the opinion considered. 7 The Authors of the Hebrew Punctation according to the Prolegomena: who & what. Morinus his folly. The improbability of this pretence. 8 The state of the Jews, the supposed inventors of the Points after the destruction of the Temple. 9 Two attempts made by them to restore their Religion. The former under Barchochab with its issue. 10 The second under R. Juda, with its issue. 11 The rise and foundation of the Talmuds. 12 The state of the Jews upon, and after the writing of the Talmuds. 13 Their rancour against Christ. 14 Who the Tiberian Massorites were, that are the supposed Authors of the Hebrew Punctation: their description. 15 That figment rejected. 16 The late Testimony of Dr. Light foot to this purpose. 17 The rise of the opinion of the Novelty of the 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 self, in reference unto Grammatical 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 self 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 novel invention of some Rabbins of Tiberias in Palaestina. This the learned Author of the Prolegomena defends with Capellus his Arguments, and such other Additions as he was pleased to make use of. To clear 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 Original, 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 Original, some other occasion may call for additions to what is now (by the way) insisted on. And as I shall not oppose them who maintain that they are Coevous with the letters, which are not a few of the most learned Jews and Christians; so I no ways doubt, but that as we now enjoy them, we shall yet manifest that they were completed 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 seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 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 self. Marinus in his preface to his Hebrew Lexicon, tells us that without the points, no certain truth can be learned from the Scriptures in that Language, seeing all things may be read divers ways, 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, cum 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. several 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 latin. 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 knows 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 maintain the Hebrew language as the exact pattern of all others, to have been plainly written (with them) from the beginning: seeing that they who are otherwise minded, do not only make doubtful the Authority of the Scriptures, but in my judgement wholly pluck it up by the roots. for without tho vowels and notes of distinction, it hath nothing firm and certain.  
In this man's judgement, (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 buxtorf's, 
1 Buxtorf. Tiberias.  father and 
2 De Antiqui●ate punct.  son. 
3 Exeg. loc. come. To●. 1. de Sa: Sc.  Gerard. 
4 de Text. Heb. ●uri:  Glassius, 
5 loc. come quoas 〈◊〉 extendat. Author. SSa.  Voetius. 
6 Clau. Sa: p. 2. Trac. 6.  Flac: Ilyric: Polan: Whitaker. 
7 de Templ. Ezec.  Hassret. 
8 dis utat: Jenae.  Wolthius.  
Sect. 3. It is well known what use the Papists make of this conceit. Bellarmine maintains that there are errors crept into the original 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 n●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 suppose to be most true, which is that the Hebrew scriptures are not universally corrupted by the malicious work of the Jews, nor yet are wholly 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 perniciously spoken: nor do yet know how his inference can be avoided, on the hypothesis in Question. To what purpose this insinuation is made by him is well known, and his Companions in design exactly declare it. That their Hebrew Text be corrected by the vulgar latin, is the express desire of Gregory de valentia, Tom. 1. disput. 5. qu. 3: and that because the Church hath approved that Translation, it being corrected (says 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 wax, 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 endeavour of this sort of men, wherein they have left no stone unturned, to decry the originals. Some of them cry out that the old Testament is corrupted by the Jews, 
1 De Transl●t. Scripturae. 2 Controversiarum Epitome. 3. Loc. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 13. 4. Arcan Cathol. lib. 1. 5. Ex ercit. de Heb. Text fincer. 6. Prolegom: 7 Deve●oo Deal lib. 2. 8 In Psal 21. ●ers 19 9 Bibliot c. lib. 8 Haeres. 13. 10 Praefat ad Bib. in terlin. 11. respons. ad Linda●. 12 De rebus Solom. cap. 4. Sect. 1. 13 Praefat, ad ●osu. 14 Proleg●m. Biblica.  as 1. Leo Castrius, 2. Gordonius Huntlaeus, 3. Melchior Canus; 4. Petrus Galatinus, Morinus, Salmeron, Pintus; Mersennus, Animad. in Problem. Georgii Venet, etc. pag. 233: that many corruptions have crept into it, by negligence, and the carelessness of Scribes, so 7 Bellarmine, 8 Genebrard, 9 Sixtus Sinensis with most of the rest of them; In these things indeed they have been opposed by the most learned of their own side; as 10 Arias Montanus; 11 Jobannes Isaac: 12 Pineda, 13 Masius, 14 Ferarius, 15 Andradius & sundry others who speak honourably of the Originals; But in nothing do they so pride themselves, as in this conceit of the Novelty of the Hebrew punctation; whereby they hope with Abimelech's servants utterly to stop the wells or fountains, from whence we should draw our soul's refreshment.  
Sect. 4. This may serve for a short view of the Opinions of the parties at variance, and their several interests in these Opinions. The importance of the points is on all hands acknowledged, whether aiming at the Honour, or dishonour of the Originals. Vowels are the life of words; Consonants without them are dead and immovable, by them are they carried to any sense, & may be to divers. It is true that men who have come to acquaintance with the scriptures by the help of the Vowels & Accents, being in possession of an habitual notion & apprehension of that sense and meaning which ariseth from them, may possibly think that it were a facile thing to find out and fix upon the same sense by the help of the matres lectionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the Consideration of Antecedents and Consequents with such like Assistances. But let them be all taken out of the way (as I shall manifest it is fit they should be, if they have the original assigned to them by the Prolegomena) and let men lay aside that Advantage they have received from them, and it will quickly appear into what devious ways all sorts of such Persons will run. Scarcse a Chapter, it may be a verse, or a Word, in a short time would be left free from perplexing contradicting conjectures. The Words are altogether innumerable whose significations may be varied, by an arbitrary supplying of the points. And when the Regulation of the punctation shall be left to every single Person's conjectures upon Antecedents and Consequents (for who shall give a rule to the rest) what end shall we have of fruitless contests? What various, what pernicious senses shall we have to contend about? suppose that men sober, modest, humble, pious, might be preserved from such miscarriages, & be brought to some agreement about these things, (which yet in these days upon many accounts is not to be looked for; yea from the nature of the thing itself seems impossible) yet this gives us but an humane fallible persuasion that the readings fixed on by them, is according to the mind of God; But to expect such: an agreement is fond & foolish. Besides who shall secure us against the luxuriant Atheistical Wits & spirits of these days who are bold upon all advantages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and to break in upon every thing that is holy and sacred; that they will not by their huckstering, utterly corrupt the Word of God? How easy is it to foresee the dangerous consequents of contending for various readings, though not false nor pernicious, by men pertinaciously adhering to their own conjectures? The Word of God, as to its literal sense, or Reading of the words of it, hath hitherto been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and the acknowledged touchstone of all Expositions; Render this now à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and what have we remaining firm and unshaken?  
Sect. 5. Let men with all their confidence as to the knowledge of the sense and meaning of the Scriptures which they have already received by such helps and means as are all of them resolved into the present punctation of the Bible, (For all Grammars, all Lexicons, the whole Massora, all helps to this language, new and old in the world, are built on this foundation) reduce themselves to such an indifferency, as some of late have fancied as a meet rise for knowledge; and fall seriously to the Reading of some of the Prophets whose matter is sublime and Mystical, and their Style elipticall and abstruse, without the help of points and Accents: Let them fix them, or any figures to answer their sounds arbitrarily, merely on their judgement in the Language, and conjectures at the sense of the place, without any advantage from what they have been instructed in, and let us see whether they will agree as they fabulously report of the 70 Translators? What ever may be the issue of their industry, we need not fear quickly to find as learned as they, that would lay their work level with the ground. I confess considering the days we live in, wherein the bold and curious wits of men, under pretence of critical observations, alluring and enticing with a show of Learning have ventured to question almost every word in the Scripture, I cannot but tremble to think, what would be the issue of this supposition, that the Points, Vowels and Accents are no better guides unto us, than may be expected from those who are pretended to be their Authors. The Lord I hope will safeguard his own, from the poison of such Attempts; The least of its evil, is yet throughly considered. So that whereas saving to myself the liberty of my Judgement, as to sundry particulars both in the impression its self and in sundry Translations, I acknowledge the great usefulness of this work, and am thankful for it, which I here publicly testify; yet I must needs say, I had rather that it, and all works of the like kind, were out of the world, than that this one opinion should be received, with the Consequences that unavoidably attend it,  
Sect. 6. But this trial needs not be feared. Grant the points to have the Original pretended, yet they deserve all regard, and are of singular use for the right understanding of the scripture: so that it is not lawful to depart from them, without urgent necessity, and Evidences of a better lection to be substituted in the room of that refused. But as this relieves us not, but still leaves us within the sphere of rational conjectures. So whether it can honestly be pretended and pleaded in this case, comes nextly to be discovered by the consideration of the supposed Authors of this Invention.  
Sect. 7. The founders of this story of the Invention of the Hebrew points, tell us, that it was the Work of some Rabbins, living at Tiberias a City in Galilee, about the year of Christ 500, or in the next Century, after the death of Hierome, and the finishing of the Babylonian Talmud; The improbability of this story or Legend, I am not now to insist upon. Morinus makes the lie louder. He tells us that the Babylonian Talmud was finished but a little before the year 700, Ex. 2. Cap. 3. par poster: that the Massorites (to whom he ascribes the invention of the points) wrote a long time after the finishing of the Talmud, and the year 700 p: p: 5. cap. 3; this long time cannot denote less than some 100 d, of years. And yet the same man in his preface to his Samaritica opuscula; boasting of his finding Rab: Juda Chiug. manifests that he was acquainted with the present punctation, and wrote about it. Now this Rabbi was a Grammarian; which kind of learning among the Jews succeeded that of the Massorites. And he lived about the year 1030; so that no room at all seems to be left for this work. That there was formerly a School of the Jews, and learned men famous at Tiberias is granted. Hierome tells us that he hired a learned Jew from thence for his assistance. Epist: ad Chromat: Among others, 
Lightfoot Fall of Hierus. Sect. 3. 4, 5. etc.  Dr Light foot hath well traced the shadow of their sanedrym with their precedents in it, in some kind of succession to that place. That they continued there in any esteem, number or Reputation, unto the time designed by our Authors for this Work, is not made to appear from any History or record of Jews or Christians; yea it is certain, that about the time mentioned the chiefest flourishing of the Jewish Doctors was at Babylon, with some other Cities in the East, where they had newly completed their Talmud, the great Pandect of Jewish Laws and constitutions as themselves every where witness & declare. That any persons considerably learned were then in Tiberias is a mere conjecture. And it is most improbable, considering what destruction had been made of them at Diocaesaria and Tiberias, about the year of Christ 352, by Gallus at the command of Constantius. That there should be such a collection of them, so learned, so Authorised; as to invent this Work, and impose it on all the world, no man once taking notice that any such persons ever were, is beyond all belief. notwithstanding any entanglements that men by their conjectures may put upon the persuasion of the Antiquity of the points, I can as soon believe the most incredible figment in the whole Talmud, as this fable. But this is not my business; Let it be granted, that such Persons there were; on the supposition under consideration, I am only enquiring what is the state and condition of the present Hebrew pointing, and what weight is to be laid thereon. That the Reader than may a little consider what sort of men they were, who are assigned in these Prolegomena as the Inventours of this Artifice of punctation, I shall take a brief view of the state of the Jews after the destruction of the Temple down to the days enquired after.  
Sect. 8. That the Judaical Church state continued, not only de facto, but in the merciful forbearance of God so far, that the many 2000 s of Believers that constantly adhered to the Mosaical worship, were accepted with God, until the destruction of the Temple; that, that destruction was the ending of the world that then was by fire, and the beginning of setting up solemnly the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness, I have at large elsewhere declared, and may God assisting yet farther manifest in my thoughts on the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews. The time between the beginning of Christ's preaching, to the utter desolation of the City and Temple, an open visible rejection of that Church, as such was made. Thereon an utter separation of the true Israel from it ensued; and the hardened residue became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people not in Covenant or Delight, but of curse & indignation. What their state was for a season, on wards both civil and Religious many have declared. I shall only insist on the heads of things. In general then, they were most remote from accepting of the punishment of their sin, or considering that God was revenging upon them the quarrel of his Covenant to the utmost, having broken both his staves, Beauty and Bands. So far were they from owning their sin in selling of their Messias, that seeing an End put to all their former worship thereupon, there is nothing recorded of them but these two things, which they wholly in direct opposition unto God gave themselves up unto. (1) They increased in rage & madness against all the followers of Christ, stirring up persecution against them all the world over. Hereunto they were provoked by a great number of Apostates, who when they could no longer retain their Mosaical rites with the profession of Christ; being rejected by the Chuches, fell back again to Judaisme or semijudaisme. 2ly. A filthy lusting and desire after their former worship now become abominable, and a badge of infidelity, that so their table might become a snare unto them. & what had been for their safety, might now become the means of their utter ruin and hardening. Of the former, or their stirring up of Persecution, all stories are full of Examples and Instances. The latter, or their desires and attempts for the Restauration of their worship, as conducing to our present business, must be farther considered.  
Sect. 9 For the Accomplishment of a design to restore their old Religion, or to furnish themselves with a new, they made two desperate Attempts. The first of these was by Arms under their Pseudo-Messias Barchochab, in the days of Adrian. Under the conduct and influencing of this man, to whom one of the chief Rabbins, (Akiba) was armour bearer; in the pursuit of a design to restore their Temple and Worship, they fell into Rebellion against the Romans all the World over. In this work, after they had committed unheard of outrages, Massacres, unparallelled murders spoils and cruelties, and had shaken the whole Empire, they were themselves in all parts of the World, especially in the City Bitter, where was the head of their Rebellion, ruined with a destruction, seeming equal to that which befell them at Jerusalem, in the days of Vespasian and Titus.  
That the Rise of this war was upon the twofold cause mentioned, namely their desire to retain their former worship, and to destroy the Christian is evident. For the first it is expressed by Diocas●ius. Hist. Rom. lib. 69. in vita Had. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It was the defiling of the soil whereon the temple stood, which God suffered on set purpose, to manifest their utter rejection, and that the time was come wherein he would be no more worshipped in that place in the old manner, that put them in arms, as that Author declares at large. And for the latter, Justin Martyr, who lived at that time informs us of it. Apol. 2da. ad Anton. Pium: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. His fury was in an especial manner against the Christians, whom he commanded to be tortured and slain, unless they would deny and blaspheme Jesus Christ. See Euseb. chron. ad an. Christi 136. And this war they managed with such fury, and for a while success, that after Hadrian had called together against them the most experienced soldiers in the world, particularly Julius Severus out of England, and had slain of them 5080000 in battle, with an infinite number besides as the Historian speaks by famine, sickness and fire were consumed, He found himself to have sustained so much loss by them, that he began not his letter to the Senate in the wont manner; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; He could not assure them, that it was well with him and his army.  
By this second desolation they were very low, made weak and contemptible, and driven into obscurity all the world over. In this state they wandered up and down for some season in all manner of Uncertainty. They had not only lost the place of their solemn worship, seeing it wholly defiled, the name of Jerusalem changed into Aelia, and themselves forbid to look towards it upon pain of death, but also being now unspeakably diminished in their number, 
Euseb. Hist. lib. 4. cap 6. Orosius. lib. 7. c. 13. Hieron. Com. in Ze●h. c. 11. vid Tzemach. David. & Hotting. Histt. ecclesi. nov. Testa.  all hopes of contriving themselves into any condition of observing their old rites and worship was utterly lost. 
* Dispersi, palabundi & coeli & soli sui extorres, vagantur per orbem sine homine, sine Deo, Rege, quibus nec advenarum jure terram patriam saltem vestigio salutare conceditur. Tertull: Apol:   
Sect. 10. Here they sat down amazed for a season; being at their wit's end, as was threatened to them in the Curse. But they will not rest so. Considering therefore that their old Religion could not be continued without a Jerusalem and a Temple, they began a nefarious attempt against God, equal to that of the old world in building Babel, even to set up a new Religion, that might abide with them wherever they were, and give them countenance in their Infidelity, and opposition to the Gospel unto the utmost. The head of this new Apostasy was one Rabbi Jehuda, whom we may not unfitly call the Mahomet of the Jews. They term him Hannasi, the Prince, and Hakkadosh, the holy. The whole story of him and his companions, as reported by the Jews, is well collected by Joseph de Voisin, observat. in proaem: ad pugi: fidei: p. 26, 27. The sum of the whole concerning this work is laid down by Maimonides, in his praefatio in Seder Zeraiim, pag: 36, 37. of the edition of Mr Pococke, wherein also a sufficient account is given of the whole Mishna, with the name of the Rabbins, either employed in it, or occasionally mentioned. This man about the year of Christ 190, or 200, when the Temple had now lain waist almost three times as long as it did in the Babylonish Captivity, being countenanced as some of themselves report, 
Post haec procesi● temporis ventum est ad Rabbinu Hakkidosh, cui pax, qui fuit se culi sui phoenix, &c: Ille legem in Israele co●fi●mavit ●enten ●is, dicti● & differentiis ore traditis à Mose, usque ad tempora sua colle●is, cum & ipse esset ex iis qui ore ●●adita referebant. Collectis igitur sententiis & dictis istis, manum admovit componendae Mish●●ae, quae omnium quae in lege scripta sunt praeceptorum explicationem contineret, par●im traditionibus à Mose (cui pa●) o'er acceptis, pa●●im consequenti●s argumentatione elicitis etc. vid. R. Maimon. praefat. i● Zeder. Zerailm. edit. Pocock. p. 36, 37, 38.  by Antoninus Pius, compiled the Jewish Alcoran, or the Mishna, as a Rule of their worship and ways for the future. Only whereas Mahomet afterwards pretended to have received his sigments by Revelation, (though indeed he had much of his Abominations from the Talmud) this man pleaded the receiving of his by Tradition; the two main Engines that have been set up against the Word of God. Out of such Pharisaical Traditions as were indeed preserved amongst them, and such Observances as they had learned and taken up from Apostate Christians, as Aquila and others, with such figments as were invented by himself▪ and his predecessors, since the time of their being publicly rejected and cursed by God, This man compiled the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishnaioth, which is the Text of their Talmud, and the foundation of their present Religion, under the name of the old oral Law. That sundry Christian Ceremonies and institutions vilely corrupted were taken up by the Jews of those days, many of them being Apostates, as were also some of Mahomet's Assistants in compiling of the Alcoran, I shall (God assisting) elsewhere endeavour to evince and manifest. That any Gospel's observances were taken from the Jews, as being in practice amongst them, before their institution by Christ will appear in the issue to be a bold and groundless fancy.  
Sect. 11. The foundation mentioned being laid in a Collection of Traditions, and new invention of Abominations under the name of old Traditions by this Rabbi the following Talmuds are an improvement of the same attempt, of setting up a Religion under the Curse, and against the mind and Will of God; that being rejected by him, and left without King, without Prince, without sacrifice, without image, without an Ephod, and without a Teraphim, and kind of worship, true or false, they might have something to give them countenance in their unbelief. The Talmud of Jerusalem, so called, (for it is the product of many comments on the Mishnae in the city of Tiberias, where Rabbi Juda lived) because it was compiled in the land of Canaan, whose metropolis was Jerusalem, was published about the year of Christ 230. so it is commonly received; though I find Dr. Lightfoot of late, on supposition of finding in it the name of Diocletianus the Emperor, to give it a later date. But I confess I see no just ground for the alteration of his judgement, from what he delivered in another Treatise before. The Doclet mentioned by the Rabbins was beaten by the Children of Rabbi Jehuda Princeps (as himself observes) who lived in the days of one of the Antoninus', an hundred years before Diocletian. Neither was ever Diocletian in a Low condition in the East, being a Sarmatian born, and living in the Western parts; only he went with Numerianus that Expedition into Persia, wherein he was made Emperor at his return: but this is nothing to my purpose. See Lightfoot Chronograph. cap. 81. p. 144. The Babylonian Talmud so called, because compiled in the land of Babylon, in the cities of Nahardea, Sora, and Pumbeditha, where the Jews had their Synagogues and schools, was finished about the year 506 or 510. In this greater work was the mystery of their iniquity finished, and the Engine of their own Invention for their further obduration perfectly completed. These are now the Rule of their faith, the measure of their Exposition of Scriptures, the directory of their worship, the ground of their hope and Expectation.  
Sect. 12. All this while the Jews enjoyed the Letter of the Scriptures, as they do to this day, yea they receive it sometimes with the honour and Veneration due to God alone. God preserved it amongst them for our present use, their farther condemnation, and means of their future conversion. But after the destruction of the Temple, and rejection of their whole Church-state, the Word was no longer committed to them of God, nor were they entrusted with it, nor are to this day. They have it not by promise, or Covenant, as they had of old. Isa. 59 21. Their possession of it is not accompanied with the Administration of the spirit, without which, as we see in the instance of themselves, the Word is a dead letter, of no efficacy for the Good of souls. They have the letter amongst them, as sometimes they had the Ark in the battle against the Philistines, for their greater ruin.  
Sect. 13. In this state and condition they every where discover their rancour and malice against Christ, calling him in contempt and reproach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relating monstrous figments concerning him, and their dealing with him, under the name of Jesus the son of Pandira. Some deny that by Jesus the son of Pandira and Stada in the Talmud the blessed Messias is intended. So did Galatinus. Arcan: Relig. Cathol: lib. 1. cap. 7. and Reuchlins' Cabal. lib. 1. p. 636. Guliel: Schickard: in Prooem. Tarich. p. 83. The contrary is asserted by Reynoldus praelec. in lib. Apoc. praelec. 103. p. 405, 406. Buxtorfius lexic. Rab. voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Vorstius not: add Tzem: Dau: pag. 264. And in truth the Reason pleaded by Galatinus and others, to prove that they did not intend our Saviour doth upon due consideration evince the contrary. The Jesus (say they) who is mentioned in the Talmud, lived in the days of the Maccabees, being slain in the time of Hyrcanus or of Aristobulus, an 100 years before the death of the true Messias: so that it cannot be he who is by them intended. But this is invented by the cursed wretches, that it should not appear that their Temple was so soon destroyed after their wicked defection from God, in killing of his son. This is most manifest from what is cited by Genebrard from Abraham Levita in his Cabala hystoriae, where he says, that Christians invented this story that Jesus was crucified in the life of Herod, (that is the Tetrarch) that it might appear that their Temple was destroyed immediately thereupon: when (saith he) it is evident from the Mishna, and Talmud, that he lived in the time of Alexander, and was crucified in the days of Aristobulus. So discovering the true ground why they perverted the whole story of his Time: namely lest all the world should see their sin and punishment standing so near together. But it is well, that the time of our Saviour's suffering and death was affirmed even by the Heathens, before either their Mishna or Talmud were borne or thought of. Abolendo rumori (he speaks of & Nero of his firing Rome) subdidit reos; & quaesitissimis poenis affecit, quos per flagitia invisos, vulgus Christianos appellabat. Author nominis ejus Christus, qui Tiberio imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus erat. Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. To return to our Jews: universally in all their old Writings, they have carried on a design of impugning him in his Gospel. For as we need not their testimony, nor any thing but the Scripture for their Conviction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so to acknowledge the truth, the places cited out of their Talmuds and Gemara, from the Cabalists & other Rabbins, by Martinus Raymundus, Porchetus, Galatinus, Reuchlinus, and others,) setting aside Galatinus his Gale Rezeia which must be set aside) seem to be wrested the most of them besides their intentions, as things obscurely, Metaphorically, and Mystically written, are easily dealt withal. Their disputes about the Messiah, when they speak of him of set purpose, as in lib. sanedrim, are foolish contradictious triflings, wherein they leave all things as uncertain, as if they were wrangling in their wont manner, de lana Caprina. So that for my part, I am not much removed from the opinion of Hulsius (lib. 1. pa. 2. dic: sup. de Temp. Messiae) that Aesop's fables are of as much use in Christian Religion, as the Judaical Talmud. Whilst they keep the Scripture, we shall never want Weapons out of their own armoury for their destruction. Like the Philistine, they carry the weapon that will serve to cut off their own Heads. Now the Tiberian Massorites, the supposed Inventors of the points, vowels and Accents, which we now use, were men living after the finishing the last Talmud, whose whole Religion was built thereon.  
Sect. 14. Let us then a little, without prejudice or passion, consider who, or what these men were, who are the supposed Authors of this work. 1. Men they were (if any such were) who had not the Word of God committed to them in a peculiar manner, as their forefathers had of old, being no part of his Church or People, but were only outwardly possessors of the Letter, without just Right or Title to it; utterly uninterested in the promise of the communication of the Spirit, which is the great Charter of the Church's preservation of truth: Isa. 59 21. 2 Men so remote from a right understanding of the Word, or the Mind and Will of God therein, that they were desperately engaged to oppose his Truth in the Books which themselves enjoyed in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God, or the Good of their own souls, from the beginning to the ending. 
fundament: nonum apud Maimon. praefat. ad Perck. Chelek. p. 175. Edit. Poc.  The foundation of whose Religion, was infidelity, and one of their chief fundamentals an opposition to the Gospel. 3. Men under the special Curse of God, and his vengeance, upon the Account of the Blood of his dear Son. 4. Men all their days feeding themselves with vain fables, and mischievous devices against the Gospel, labouring to set up a new Religion under the name of the old, in despite of God, so striving to wrestle it out with his curse to the utmost. 5. Men of a prosound ignorance in all manner of Learning and knowledge, but only what concerned their own dunghill Traditions; 
Sh●bet Jehuda, p. 40.  as appears in their stories, wherein they make Pyrrhus' King of Epirus, help Nabuchadnezzar against Jerusalem; with innumerable the like fopperies. 6. Men so addicted to such monstrous figments, as appears in their Talmuds, as their successors of after ages are ashamed of, and seek to palliate, what they are able; yea for the most part Idolaters and Magicians, as I shall evince. Now I dare leave it to the judgement of any godly prudent person, not addicted to parties and names of men, who is at all acquainted with the importance of the Hebrew vowels and Accents unto the right understanding of the Scripture, with what influence their present fixation hath into the literal sense we embrace, whether we need not very clear evidence and Testimony, yea undeniable and unquestionable, to cast the rise and spring of them upon the invention of this sort of men.  
Sect. 15. Of all the fables that are in the Talmud, I know none more incredible than this story: that men, who cannot by any story or other record, be made to appear, that they ever were in rerum naturâ: such men, as we have described, obscure, unobserved, not taken notice of by any Learned man, Jew or Christian, should in a time of deep ignorance in the place where they lived, amongst a people wholly addicted to monstrous fables, themselves blinded under the Curse of God, find out so great, so excellent a work, of such unspeakable usefulness, not once advising with the men of their own profession and Religion, who then flourished in great abundance at Babylon, and the places adjacent, and impose it on all the World (that receive the Scriptures) and have every Tittle of their work received, without any opposition or question, from any person or persons, of any principle whatever; yea so, as to have their Invention made the constant Rule of all following Expositions, Comments, and Interpretations: Credat Apella.  
To draw then to the close of this discourse; I must crave liberty to profess, that if I could be throughly convinced, that the present Hebrew punctation were the figment and invention of these men, I should labour to the utmost to have it utterly taken away out of the Bible, nor should (in its present station) make use of it any more. What use such an Invention might be of under catholic rules in a way of Grammar, I shall not dispute; but to have it placed in the Bible, as so great a part of the Word of God, is not tolerable. But blessed be God, things are not as yet come to that pass. I shall only add, that whereas some of the most eminently learned and exercised persons in all the learning and Antiquity of the Jews, that these latter ages have produced, have appeared in the confutation of this fancy of the Invention of the points by some Posttalmudicall Massorites, I am sorry their respect to the Rabbins hath kept them from the mannagement of this consideration, which is to me of so great Importance.  
Sect. 16. To what I have spoken, I shall add the words of learned Dr Lightfoot in his late Centuria Chorograph. which came to my hands since the finishing of this discourse, cap. 81. p. 146. sunt qui punctata Biblia credunt à sapientibus Tiberiensibus; (he means Elias only, for other Jews of this opinion there are none) Ego impudentiam Judaeorum, qui fabulam invenerunt non miror: Christianorum credulitatem miror, qui applaudunt. Recognosce (quaeso) nomina Tiberiensium, à sita illic primum Academia ad eam expirantem: & quidnam tandem invenies, nisi genus hominum, prae Pharisaismo insaniens, traditionibus fascinans & fascinatum, coecum, vafrum, delirum; ignoscant, si dicam Magicum, & monstrosum? ad opus tam divinum homines quam ineptos, quam stolidos! Perlege Talmud Hierosolymitanum, et nota qualiter illic se habeant R. Juda, R. Chamnath, Z. Judan, R. Hoshaia, R. Chaija Rubba, R. Chaija bar Basilius, R. Jochananan, reliquique inter Tiberienses grandissimi doctores, quam seriò nihil agunt, quam pueriliter seria, quanta in ipsorum disputationibus vafrities, spuma, venenum, fumus, nihil: & si punctata fuisse Biblia in istiusmodi Schola potes credere, crede & omnia Talmudica. Opus spiritûs sancti sapit punctatio Bibliorum, non opus hominum perditorum, excae●atorum, amentium. In the words of this learned person there is the sum of what I am pleading for. Saith he, I do not admire the Jews Impudence, who found out that fable; I admire Christians credulity who applaud it. Recount I pray the names of the Tiberians from the first foundation of an University there to the expiring thereof, and what do you find, but a sort of men being mad with (or above) the Pharisees, bewitching and bewitched with traditions, blind, crafty, raging; pardon me if I say Magical, and monstrous? what fools, what Sots as to such a divine work? Read over the Talmud of Jerusalem, consider how R. Juda, R. Chanina, R. Chajia Bar Basilius, R. Jochanan, R. Jonathan, and the rest of the great Doctors among the Tiberians do behave themselves? how seriously they do of nothing? how childish they are in serious things, how much deceitfulness, froth, venom, smoke, nothing, in their disputations: & if you can believe the points of the bible to proceed from such a school, believe also all their Talmuds; the pointing of the Bible savours of the work of the holy spirit, not of wicked, blind, and mad men.  
Sect. 17. The Jews generally believe these points to have been from Mount Sinai, and so downward by Moses and the Prophets; at least from Ezra and his companions, the men of the great synagogue, not denying that the use and knowledge of them received a great reviving by the Gemarists and Massorites, when they had been much disused; so Rabbi Azarias at large; Imre Binah. cap. 59  
Had it been otherwise, surely men stupendously superstitious in enquiring after the Traditions of their Fathers would have found some footsteps of their Rise and progress. It is true, there is not only the opinion, but there are the Arguments of one of them to the contrary, namely Elias Levita; This Elias lived in Germany about the beginning of the Refomation, and was the most learned Grammarian of the Jews in that age. Sundry of the first Reformers had acquaintance with him; The task not only of reforming Religion, but also of restoring good literature being incumbent on them, they made use of such assistances as were to be obtained then to that purpose. This man (which 
a Eodem fere tempore Palatinus ab●olitâ Poutificia Authoritate doctrinam Lutheri recepit, ●aque de causa Paulum Fagium ●a●ernis Rhenanis in Palatinatu natum Hidelbergam evocavit. Is sub Volfingo Capitone perfectissimam linguae sanctae cognitionem adeptus▪ cum egestate premeretur, Petri Busteri viri locu●letis Is●ae in qua ille docebat Senatoris liberalitate sublevatus H●liā illum Judaeorum doctissimum accersendum curavit, & instituta typographica offcina, maximum ad solidam rerum Hebrai. carum cognitionem ●omentum attulit. Thuanus Hist. lib. 2. ad An. 1564. 546▪  Thuanus takes notice of) lived with Paulus Fagius, and assisted him in his noble promotion of the Hebrew tongue. Hence happily it is that some of those worthies, unwarily Embraced his novel opinion, being either over borne with his Authority, or not having leisure to search farther after the Truth. That the Testimony of this one Elias should be able to outweigh the constant Attestation of all other learned Jews to the contrary, as Capellus affirms & pleads, & as is insinuated in our Prolegomena, 
Proleg. 3. Sec. 42.  is fond to imagine; and the premises of that learned man fight against his own conclusion. It is known saith he, that the Jews are prone to insist on every thing that makes for the honour of their people and Language, and therefore their testimony, to the Divine original of the present punctation being in their own case, is not to be admitted. Only Elias who in this speaks against the common interest of his people is presumed to speak upon conviction of truth. But the whole evidence in this cause is on the other side. Let us grant that all the Jews are zealous of the honour and reputation of their Nation and Language; as they are: let us grant that they greedily close with every thing, that may seem to have a tendency thereunto? what will be the issue, or natural inference from these Premises? Why as nothing could be spoken more honourably of the Jews, whilst they were the Church and people of God, then that of Paul, that to them were committed the oracles of God, so nothing can be imagined or fixed on, more to their honour, ●ince their divorce from God, then that their Doctors and Masters should make such an addition to the scripture, so generally acknowledged to be unspeakably useful. And to this purpose Elias who was the Father of this Opinion, was far from making such deductions thence as some do now adays; namely, that it is lawful for us to change the vowels and Accents at our pleasure; But ties all men as strictly to them as if they had been the work of Ezra; It is Elias then that speaks in his own case; whose Testimony is therefore not to be admitted. What was done of old, and in the days of Ezra is ours, who succeed into the privileges of that Church; what hath been done since the destruction of the Temple, is properly and peculiarly theirs.  
Sect. 18. It may perhaps be thought that by the account given of the Rabbins, their state and condition of old and of late, I might have weakened one great Argument which learned men make use of, to confirm the sacred Antiquity of the present Hebrew punctation, taken from the universal consent and testimony of the Jewish Doctors, Ancient and modern, this one Elias, excepted. Who can think such persons are in any thing to be believed. But indeed the case is quite otherwise. Though we account them wholly unmeet for the work that is ascribed unto them, and on supposition that it is theirs, affirm that it had need undergo another manner of trial then as yet out of Reverence to its generally received Antiquity, it hath met withal; yet they were men still, who were full-well able to declare what the facto they found to be so, and what they found otherwise. It cannot, I think, be reasonably supposed, that so many men living in so many several Ages, at such vast distances from one another, who some of them it may be, never heard of the names of other some of them, should conspire to cousin themselves and all the world besides, in a matter of fact not at all to their Advantage. However for my part, what ever can be proved against them, I shall willingly admit. But to be driven out of such a rich possession, as is the present Hebrew punctation, upon mere surmises and conjectures, I cannot willingly give way or consent.  
Sect. 19 It is not my design to give in Arguments for the Divine original of the present Hebrew punctation; neither do I Judge it necessary for any one so to do, whilst the learned Buxtorfius discourse de origine & antiquitate punctorum, lies unanswered. I shall therefore only add one or two considerations, which to me are of weight, and not as I remember mentioned by him, or his Father in his Tiberias, or any other that I know of in their disputes to this purpose.  
1 If the points; or vowels and Accents, be coevous with the rest of the Letters, or have an original before all Grammar of that Language (as indeed languages are not made by Grammar, but Grammars are made by Languages) than the Grammar of it and them, must be collected from the observation of their use, as they were found in all their variety before any such art, was invented or used; and Rules must be suited thereunto; The drawing into Rules all the Instances that being uniform would fall under such Rules, and the distinct observation of Anomalous words, either singly, or in Exceptions comprehending many under one head, that would not be so reduced, was the work of Grammar. But on the other side, if the Vowels and Accents were invented by themselves, and added to the Letters, than the Rule and Art of disposing, transposing, and changing of them, must be constituted and fixed before the disposition of them; for they were placed after the Rules made, and according to them. A middle way that I know of, cannot be fixed on. Either they are of the Original writing of the Language, and have had Rules made by their station therein, or they have been supplied unto it according to Rules of Art. Things are not thus come to pass by chance; nor was this world created by a casual concurrence of these Atoms. Now if the Grammar or Art was the ground & foundation, not the product of their use, as I am confident I shall never see a tolerable answer given to that enquiry of Buxtorfius the elder in his Tiberias, why the Inventors of them left so many words Anomalous and pointed otherwise then according to Rule, or the constant course of the Language, precisely reckoning them up when they had so done, and how often they are so used, as" and ⸪ for ˜: and" for τ and the like, when they might, if they had so pleased, have made them all regular, to their own great ease, advantage of their Language, and facilitating the learning of it to all posterity, the thing they seem to have aimed at; so I cannot be satisfied why in that long operous and curious work of the Massorites, wherein they have reckoned up every word in the Scripture, & have observed the irregularity of every tittle and letter, that they never once attempt to give us out those Catholic Rules whereby they, or their masters proceeded in affixing the points; or whence it came to pass, that no learned Jew for 100ds of years after, should be able to acquaint us with that way, but in all their Grammatical Instructions, should merely collect Observations, and inculcate them an 100 times over, according as they present themselves to them by particular Instances. Assuredly had this wonderful Art of pointing, which for the most part may be reduced to catholic Rules, and might have wholly been so, if it were an arbitrary Invention limited to no praeexisting wiritng, been found out first, and established as the norma and canon of affixing the vowels, some footsteps of it would have remained in the Massora, or among some of the Jews, who spent all their time and days in the consideration of it.  
Sect. 20. 2 In the days of the Chaldee Paraphrast when the Prophecies of the Humiliation and death of their Messiah were only not understood by them, yet we see into how many several ways and senses they are wrested by that Paraphrast to affix some tolerable meaning to them. Take an instance on Isaiah the 53: Jonathan there acknowledges the whole prophecy to be intended of Christ, as knowing it to be the common faith of the Church; but not understanding the state of humiliation which the Messias was to undergo, he wrists the words into all forms, to make that which is spoken passively of Christ, or to his suffering from others, to signify actively, as to his doing and exercising judgement upon others. But now more than 500 years after, when these points are supposed to be invented, when the Rabbins were awake, and knew full well what use was made of those places against them, as also that the Prophets (especially Esaiah) are the most obscure part of the whole Scripture, as to the Grammatical sense of their words in their coherence without points and Accents, and how facile it were, to invert the whole sense of many periods by small alterations, in these Rules of reading; yet as they are pointed, they make out incomparably more clearly the Christian faith, than any ancient Translations of those places whatever. Johannes Isaac, a converted Jew, lib. 1. ad Lindan. tells us that above 200 Testimonies about Christ may be brought out of the Original Hebrew, that appear not in the vulgar latin, or any other Translation. And Raymundus Martinus; noverint quae ejusmodi sunt (that his who blamed him for translating things immediately out of the Hebrew, not following the vulgar latin) in plurimis valde sacrae scripturae locis veritatem multo planius atque perfectius pro fide Christiana haberi in litera hebraica quam in translatione nostra: Proaem. ad pug. fid. sec. 14. Let any man consider those two racks of the Rabbins, and swords of Judaical unbelief, Isa: 53. and Dan. 9; as they are now pointed and accented, in our Bibles, and compare them with the translation of the 70: and this will quickly appear unto him. Especially hath this been evidenced, 
Faustus Socin. de Jesus Christo Servatore Crellius Cont: Gr●t, pag. 62.  since the Socinians as well as the Jews, have driven the dispute about the satisfaction of Christ to the utmost Scrutiny, and Examination of every word in that 53d of Isaiah. But yet as the text stands now pointed, & accented, neither Jews nor Socinians (notwithstanding the relief contributed to them by Grotius, wresting that whole blessed Prophecy to make Application of it unto Jeremiah, thinking therein to outdo the late or modern Jews, Abarbinel, and others applying it to Josiah, the whole people of the Jews, Messiah Ben Joseph and I know not whom) have been able, or ever shall be able to relieve themselves, from the sword of the truth therein. Were such Exercitations on the Word of God allowable, I could easily manifest, how by changing the distinctive accents, and vowels, much darkness and perpelxity might be cast on the contexture of that glorious Prophecy. It is known also, that the Jews commonly plead, that one Reason why they keep the Copy of the Law in their Synagogues without points is, that the Text may not be restrained to one certain sense; but that they may have liberty to draw out various, and as they speak more eminent senses.   

CHAP. V.  
1 Arguments for the novelty of the Hebrew points, proposed to consideration. 2. The Argument from the Samaritan letters considered and Answered 3. Of the copy of the Law preserved in the Synagogues without points: 4. The testimony of Elias Levita, and Aben Ezra considered. 5. Of the silence of the Mishna, Talmud and Gemara about the points. 6. Of the Keri and Chethib. 7. Of the number of the points. 8. Of the Ancient Translations, Greek, Chaldee, Syriak. 9 Of Hierome. 10. The new Argument of Morinus, in this cause: The conclusion about the necessity of the points.  
Sect. 1. BUT Because this seems to be a matter of great importance, wherein the truth formerly pleaded for, appears to be nearly concerned, I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very briefly consider the Arguments that are usually insisted on (as in these Prolegomena) to prove the points to be a novel Invention; I mean of the men, & at the time before mentioned. Particular Instances I shall not insist upon: nor is it necessary I should so do; it hath been done already. The heads of Arguments which yet contain their strength, are capable of a brief dispatch; which shall be given them in the order wherein they are represented by the Prolegomena; Proleg. 3. 38, 39, 40.  
Sect. 2. 1 It is said then, that whereas the old Hebrew letters, were the present Samaritan, the Samaritan letters having been always without points as they yet continue, it is manifest that the Invention of the points must be of a later date than the change of the letters, which was in the days of Ezra, & so consequently be the work of the postalmudical Massorites. Pergula Pictoris! This whole Objection is made up of most uncertain conjectures. This is not a place to speak at large of the Samaritans, Their Pentateuch and its Translation. The Original of that nation is known from the Scripture, as also their Worship of God, 2 Kings. 17. Their solemn Excommunication and casting out from any interest among the people of God, is also recorded, Ezra. 9 Nehem. 6: and c. 13. Their continuance in their abominations after the closing of the Canon of the scripture is reported by Josephus Antiq. lib. 11. c. 8. In the days of the Maccabees they were conquered by Hyrcanus, and brought into subjection by the Jews. Joseph. Antiq. lib. 13: cap. 17. Yet their Will worship upon the credit of the tradition of their Fathers continued to the days of our Saviour, and their hatred to the people of God, Joh. 4. When, by whom, in what Character they first received the Pentateuch, is most uncertain; not likely by the Priest sent to them; for notwithstanding his instructions they continued in open Idolatry; which evidences that they had not so much as seen the book of the Law. Probably this was done when they were quered by Hyrcanus, and their Temple razed after it had stood 200 years. So also did the Edomites. What Diligence they used in the preservation of it, being never committed to them by God, we shall see afterwards. That there are any of them remaining at this day, or have been this 1000 years past, is unknown. That the Letters of their Pentateuch were the ancient Hebrew letters, as Eusebius, Hierome and some of the Rabbins report, seems to me (on the best enquiry I have been able to make) a groundless Tradition and mere fable. The evidences tendered for to prove it, are much to weak to bear the weight of such an Assertion. Eusebius spaeks only on report; affirmatur; it was so affirmed, on what ground he tells us not. Hierome indeed is more positive; but give me leave to say, that supposing this to be false, sufficient instances of the like mistakes may be given in him. For the Testimony of the Talmud, I have often declared, that with me it is of no weight, unless seconded by very good evidence. And indeed the foundation of the whole story is very vain. The Jews are thought and said to have forgot their own Characters in the Captivity, and to have learned the Chaldean, upon the account whereof they adhered unto it after their return; when the same men were alive at the burning of one, and the building of the other Temple; that the men of one and the same generation should forget the use of their own letters, which they had been exercised in, is incredible. Besides they had their Bibles with them always, and that in their own character only; whither they had any one other book or no we know not: and whence then this forgetting of one Character, and learning of another should arise, doth not appear. Nor shall I in such an improbable fiction lay much weight on Testimonies, the most ancient whereof is 600 years later than the pretended matter of fact.  
Sect. 3. The most weighty proof in this case is taken from the ancient Judaical coins, taken up with Samaritan Characters upon them. We are now in the high road of forgeries and fables: in nothing hath the world been more cheated. But be it granted that the pretended coins are truly Ancient; must it needs follow, that because the Letters were then known, and in use, that they only were so: that the Bible was written with them, and those now in use unknown. To salve the credit of the coins, I shall crave leave to answer this conjecture with another. The Samaritan Letters are plainly praeternatural (If I may so say) a studied invention; in their frame and figure fit to adorn, when extended or greatned by way of engraving or embossing any thing they shall be put upon, or cut in. Why may we not think they were invened for that purpose: namely to engrave on vessels, & to stamp on coin, & so came to be of some use in writing also. Their shape and frame promises some such thing. And this is rendered the more probable from the practice of the Egyptians, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Alex. stromat. lib. 5.  who as Clement Alexan: tells us, had 3 sorts of letters, one which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, with which they written things of common use; another termed by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, used by the Priests in the sacred writes: and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: which also was of two sorts, simple and symbolical. Seeing then it was no unusual thing to have sundry sorts of letters for sundry purposes, it is not improbable that it was so also among the Jews: Not that they written the sacred writes in a peculiar character, as it were to hide them, which is declaimed against, but only that the other Character might be in use for some purposes which is not unusual: I cannot think the Greeks of old used only the unciall letters, which yet we know some did; though he did not, who written Homer's Iliads in no greater a volume, then would go into a nutshell.  
Sect. 4. But if that should be granted, that cannot be proved, namely that such a Change was made; yet this prejudices not them in the least, who affirm Ezra and the men of the great Congregation to have been the Authors of the Points, seeing the Authors of this rumour affixed, that as the time wherein the old Hebrew letters were excommunicated out of the Church; together with the Samaritans. Nay it cast a probability on the other hand, namely that Ezra laying aside the old letters because of their difficulty, together with the new, introduced the points to facilitate their use. Nor can it be made to appear that the Samaritan letters had never any vowels affixed to them. Postellus affirms that the Samaritans had points in the days of Hierome, and that their loss of them is the cause of their present corrupt reading. Punctis hodie quae habebant Hieronimi temporibus carent: leguntque sine punctis admodum depravatè. postel. Alphab. 12. lingua: There were always some copies written without vowels, which might be preserved, and the other lost. That people (if we have any thing from them,) being wicked, ignorant, sottish, superstitious, Idolatrous, rejectors of the greatest part of the Scripture, Corruptors of what they had received, might neglect the task of transcribing Copies with Points, because a matter of so great Care and diligence to be performed aright. Nor is it improbable, what ever is pretended to the contrary, that continuing in their sepation from the people of God, they might get the Law written in a Character of their own choosing, out of hatred to the Jews. Now let any man judge, whither from this heap of Uncertaintyes any thing can arise with the face of a Witness, to be admitted to give Testimony in the cause in hand. He that will part with his possession on such easy Terms, never found much benefit in it.  
Sect. 5. 2 The Constant Practice of the Jews in preserving in their Synagogues one Book, which they almost adore, written without points, is alleged to the same purpose; for what do they else hereby but tacitly acknowledge the Points to have an humane Original. An: But it is certain they do not so acknowledge them, neither by that practice, nor by any other way; it being the constant Opinion and persuasion of them all, (Elias only excepted) that they are of a divine extract; And if their Authority be to be urged, it is to be submitted unto in one thing, as well as in another. 2 The Jews give a threefold account of this practice. First, the difficulty of Transcribing Copies without any failing, the least rendering the whole book as to its use in their Synagogues, profane. 2 The liberty they have thereby, to draw out various Senses,, more eminent as they say, indeed more vain and curious, than they have any advantage to do, when the reading is restrained to one certain sense by the vowels and accents. 3 To keep all Learners in dependence on their Teachers, seeing they cannot learn the mind of God, but by their Exposition: Rab: Azarias: lib. Jmre Bina: cap. 59 If these Reasons satisfy, not any as to the ground of that practice, they may be pleased to inquire of them for others, who intent to be bound by their Authority; That the Points were invented by some late Massorites, they will not inform them. For Jesuitical stories out of China, they are with me for the most part of the like credit with those of the Jews in their Talmud; He that can believe all the miracles, that they work, where men are not warned of their juggling, may credit them in other things. However, as I said, I do not understand this Argument; the Jews keep a book in their Synagogues without points, therefore the points and accents were invented by the Tiberian Massorites; when they never read it, or rather sing it, but according to every point and accent in ordinary use. Indeed the whole profound mystery of this business seems to be this; that none be admitted to read or sing the Law in their Synagogues, until he be so perfect in it, as to be able to observe exactly all points and Accents, in a book wherein there are none of them.  
Sect. 6. 3. The testimony of Elias Levita, not only as to his own judgement, but also as to what he mentions from Aben Ezra and others, is insisted on. They affirm, saith he, that we have received the whole Punctation from the Tiberian Massorites. An. It is very true, that Elias was of that judgement; and it may well be supposed, that if that Opinion had not fallen into his mind, the world had been little acquainted with it at this day. That by receiving of the punctation from the Tiberians, the Continuation of it in their School, not the invention of it is intended by Aben Ezra, is beyond all exception evinced by Buxtorfius. De Punct. Antiq. p. 1. cap. 3. Nor can any thing be spoken more directly to the contrary of what is intended, than that which is urged in the Prolegomena from Aben Ezra, comment. in Exod. 25. 31. where he affirms that he saw some books examined in all the letters, and the whole punctation by the wise men of Tiberias; namely to try, whether it were done exactly, according to the patterns they had. Besides all Elias Arguments are notably answered by Rabbi Azarias; whose Answers are repeated by Joseph de Voysin in his most learned observations, on the Proemium of the Pugio fidei, pag. 91. 92. And the same Azarias shows the consistency of the various opinions that were among the Jews about the vowels, ascribing them as to their virtue and force, to Moses, or God on mount Sinai; as to their figure and character to Ezra; as to the restauration of their use, unto the Massorites.  
Sect. 7. 4. The silence of the Miskna Gemara, or whole Talmud concerning the Points is further urged. This Argument is also at large discussed by Buxtorfius, and the instances in it answered to the full: nor is it needful for any man to add any thing further, until what he hath discoursed to this purpose be removed. See part. 1. cap. 6. See also Glassius lib. 1. Tract. 1● de Text. Hebrai punctat: who gives instances to the contrary; yea and the Talmud its self in Nedarim, or of vows chap. 4. on Nehem. 8. 8▪ do plainly mention them: and Treatises ancienter than the Talmud cited by Rabbi Azarias in Jmre Binah expressly speaks of them. It is to me a sufficient evidence, able to overbeare the conjectures to the contrary, that the Talmudists both knew, and in their Readins were regulated by the points now in use, in that, as many learned men have observed, there is not one Text of Scripture to be found cited in the Talmud, in any other sense, as to the literal reading and meaning of the word, then only that which it is restrained unto by the present punctation: when it is known that the Patrons of the Opinion under Consideration, yield this constantly as one Reason of the 70 Translators reading words and sentences otherwise then we read them now in our Bibles; namely, because the books they used were not pointed, whereby they were at liberty to conjecture at This or That sense of the Word before them. This is one of the main Pillars of Capellus his whole fabric in his Critica Sacra. And how it can be fancied there should be no variety between our present reading and the Talmudists, upon supposition they knew not the use of Points, I know not. Is it possible, on this supposition, there should be such a Coincidence between their and our present punctation; whereon the same principle, it seems, there are so many variations by the 70 and the Chaldee Paraphrast?  
Sect: 9 5. Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are pleaded in the next place to this purpose, I shall speak afterwards. The difference in them is in the Consonants, not in the Vowels, which yet argues not that there were no vowels, when they were collected, or disposed as now we find them. Yea that there were no vowels in the Copies from whence they were collected (if they were so Collected) may be true; but that that Collection was made any later for the main of it, than the days of Ezra, doth not appear. Now whatever was done about the Scripture in the Judaical Church, before the times of our Saviour, is manifest to have been done by Divine Authority, in that it is no where by him reproved: but rather the integrity of every word is by him confirmed. But of these things distinctly by themselves afterwards we are to speak.  
Sect. 10. A sixth Argument for the novelty of the Points is taken from their number; for whereas it is said all kinds of sounds may be expressed by 5 vowels, we are in the present Hebrew punctation supplied with 14 or 15: which as it is affirmed, manifests abundantly that they are not Coevous or connatural to the language itself, but the Arbitrary, artificial invention of men, who have not assigned a sufficient difference in their force and sound to distinguish them in pronunciation. But this objection seems of small importance. The ground of it is an Apprehension, that we still retain exactly the true pronunciation of the Hebrew Tongue, which is evidently false. It is now near 2000 years, since that Tongue was vulgarly spoken in its purity by any people or nation. To imagine that the True, exact, distinct pronunciation of every Tittle and syllable in it, as it was used by them, to whom it was vulgar and natural, is communicated unto us, or is attainable by us, is to dream pleasantly whilst we are awake. Aben Ezra makes it no small matter that men of old knew aright how to pronounce Camets' Gadol. Saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The men of Tiberias, also the wise men of Egypt and Africa knew how to read Camets' Gadol. 2 Even the distinct force of one Consonant, and that always radical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is utterly lost, so that the present Jews know nothing of its pronunciation. 3 Nor can we distinguish now between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Though the Jews tell us that the wise men of Tiberias could do so 1200 years ago; as also between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is the distinct sound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so obvious unto us. The variety of Consonants among many nations, and their Ability to distinguish them in pronunciation, makes this of little Consideration. The whole nation of the Germans distinguish not between the force and sound of T and D, whereas the Arabic Dalinea and Dhsal, Dad, Ta and Da manifest how they can distinguish those ●ounds. Nor are the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answered distinctly in any other language; to distinguish some of which, Good old Hjerome had his Teeth filled by the direction of his 
* Veni rursum Hieros●lymam, & Bethlehem ubi labore pretii Bartemium Judaeum nocturnum habut praeceptorem, timehat enim Judaeos, & exhibebat se mibi, alium Nicodemum. Hieron: Epist. ad Oceanum.  Nicodemus. 6. The truth is, the Hebrews have but 10 vowels, 5 long, and 5 short, or 5 great and 5 less; Sheva is but a servant to all the rest; and its addition to Segol and Patha makes no new vowels. To distinguish between Camets' Hateph, and Hateph Camets' there is no Colour. Seven only of them, as Morinus hath manifested out of R. Jehuda Chiug, one of the first Grammarians among the Jews, namely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they called (of old) Kings, or the chief Rulers of all the motions of the letters. So that indeed they have not so many figures to distinguish sounds by, with all their vowels, as have the Greeks. Besides the 7 vowels they have twelve dipthongs, and three of them as to any peculiar sound as mute as Sheva. 
Literas semper arbitror Assyrias fuisse, sed alii apud Aegyptio● à Mercur●o, ut Gelbus; alii apud Tyros repertas volunt: utique in Graeciam intulesse è Phoenice Cadmum ●exdecem numero, quibus ●rojano bello adjecisse quatuor hanc figurâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Palimedem totidem, post eum Simonidem Melicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quarum omnium vis in nostris cognoscitur; Plinius Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 56. quae quis in vitâ ●nvenerit.  It is true, Pliny tells us that Simonides Melicus found out two of the vowels, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as he did also two Consonants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: but surely he did so, because he found them needful to answer the distinct sounds used in that language, or he had deserved little thanks for his invention. Speaking lately with a worthy learned friend, about an universal Character, which hath been mentioned by many, attempted by divers, 
Dr. Walkins Ward: of Wad. Col.  and by him brought to that perfection, as will doubtless yield much, if not universal satisfaction unto learned and prudent men, when he shall be pleased to communicate his thoughts upon it to the world; we fell occasionally on the difference of apert sounds or vowels, which when I heard him with good Reason affirm to be 8 or 9, remembering this Argument about the Hebrew points, I desired him to give his thoughts in a few words the next day, which he did accordingly; now because his discourse seems evidently to discover the vanity of this pretence, that the Hebrew vowels are an arbitrary invention from their number, I have here inserted it.  

Apart sounds are either 

Simple. Vowels.  
Double. Dipthongs.    
1 Apart simple sounds are distinguishable 

Formally.  
Acccidentally.    
1 The Formal difference is that which doth constitute several letters, and must depend upon the various Apertion, required to the making of them, together with the Gravity or Acuteness of the tone which is made by them. According to which there are at least eight simple vowels, that are by us easily distinguishable. viz.  
1  
2 

E 

magis Acutum, as in He, me, she, ye, etc.  
minus Acutum, as the English, The: the Latin, me, te, se, etc.      
3 I or Y, which are both to be accounted of one power and sound. Shi, di: Thy mies:  
4  
5 

A 

magis Apertum. All, tall, gall, wall.  
minus Apertum. Ale, tale, gale, well.      
6  
7 

O 

Rotundun, minus grave, as the English. Go. so. no. the Latin. De.  
magis grave & pingue. as the English. Do. to. who.      
8 U as in Tu. use, us etc.   

So many apert simple sounds there are evidently distinguishable, I would be loath to say that there neither are, nor can be any more; for who knows, how many other minute differences of Apertion, and Gravity, may be now used, or hereafter found out by others, which practice and custom, may make as easy to them as these are to us.  
2 But besides this formal difference, they are some of them Accidentally distinguishable from one another, with reference to the quantity of time required to their prolation, whereby the same Vowel becomes sometimes 

Long  
Short    
So E. min. Acute. 

Long  
Short 

meet esteem  
met stem       

I 

L alive, Give, Drive, title, Thine.  
S Live, give, Driven,— ☞ ie tittle, Thin.    
A 

L Bate, 
A, min. Apart.  hate, cate, same, dame— ae  
S Bat, hat, cat— Sam. dam.    
O. Rotund. 

L. one, none, note etc. ●oe veloa  
S. one (non Lat.) not.    
U 

L. use, Tune, pule, acute.— we  
S. us, Tun. pull, cut.     

The other remaining vowels. viz. E. magis Acut. A. magis Apart. & O. magis grave, do not change their Quantities but are always long.  
2 Dipthongs are made of the Complexion of two Vowels in one Syllable, where the sounds of both are heard. These are,  
1 Ei. Ey.— Hei Lat. They.  
2 Ea. eat, meat, seat, Teate, yea, plea.  
3 Yew, ewe. Few, Dew. Heu. Lat.  
4 Ai, Ay. Aide, said, pay, day.  
5 Au, Aw. Audience, Author, Law, Draw.  
6 Hey, Oy. Point, soil, Boy, Toy.  
7 Ou, Ow. Rout, stout. How, now.  
8 Ui, Uy. Bui, juice.  
9 Eo, Yeoman, People.  
How other dipthongs (which have been used may be significant for the expression of long Vowels, see noted above. ☞   
There is then very little weight to be ventured upon the strength of this Objection  
Proleg. 8. 46. Sect. 11. 7: It is further pleaded that the ancient translations the Greek, the Caldee and the Syriack, do manifest that at the time of their Composing the points were not invented; And that because in sundry places it is evident that they read otherwise, or the words with other points (I mean as to the force and sound, not figure of them) than those now affixed. For this purpose very many instances are given us out of the Seventy especially by Capellus: Grotius also takes the same course. But neither is the Objection of any force to turn the Scale in the matter under Consideration. Somewhat will in the close of this disourse be spoken of those Translations. The differences that may be observed in them especially the former, would as well prove, that they had other Consonants, that is that the Copies they used had other letters and words than ours, as other vowels. Yea if we must suppose where they differ from our present Reading, they had other and better Copies, it is most Certain that we must grant ours to be very Corrupt. Hoc Ithacus vellet; nor can this inference be avoided, as shall God willing be further manifested if Occasion be administered. The truth is, the present Copies that we have of the Seventy do in many places so vary from the Original, that it is beyond all Conjecture what should occasion it. I wish some would try their skill upon some part of Job, the Psalms and the Prophets, to see if by all their inquiries of extracting various lections, they can find out how they read in their Books, if they rendered as they read; and we enjoy what they rendered. simeon de Muys tells us a very pretty story of himself to this purpose; Assert. Heb. Vind. Sect. 1: as also how ridiculous he was in his attempt. But I shall recall that desire; The scripture indeed is not so to be dealt withal; we have had too much of that work already. The rabbinical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be Compared, with some of our Critics Temura and Notaricon. Of the Chaldee Paraphrase I shall speak afterwards. It seems not to be of the Antiquity pretended. It is not mentioned by Josephus, nor Origen, nor Hierome; but this will not impeach its Antiquity. But whereas it is most certain that it was in high esteem and reverence among all the Jews before the time assigned for the punctation of the points, it seems strange that they should in disposing of them, differ from it voluntarily in so many places.  
2ly. Besides, though these Translatours or any of them, might use Copies without vowels, as it is confessed that always some such there were, as still there are, yet it doth not follow at all, that therefore the points were not found out nor in use. But more of this, when we come to speak distinctly of these Translations.  
Sect. 12. 8 Of the same importance is that which is in the last place insisted on, from the silence of Hierome and others of the Ancients, as to the use of the points among the Hebrews. But Hierome saw not all things, not the Chaldee Paraphrase, which our Authors suppose to have been extant at least 400 years before him; So it cannot be made Evident that he mentioned all that he saw. To speak expressly of the Vowels he had no Occasion, there was then no Controversy about them. Nor were they then distinctly known by the names whereby they are now called. The whole Current of his Translation argues that he had the Bible as now pointed. Yea, Learned men have manifested by instances that seem of irrefragable evidence, that he had the use of them. Or it may be he could not obtain a pointed Copy, but was instructed by his Jew in the right pronunciation of words. Copies were then scarce, and the Jews full of envy: all these things are uncertain. See Munster: Praefat. ad Bib. The Truth is, either I cannot understand his words, or he doth positively affirm, that the Hebrew had the use of Vowels; in his Epistle to Evagrius, Epist. 126: nec refert utrum Salem an Salim nominetur, cum vocalibus in medio litteris perrarò utantur hebraei; if they did it perrarò, they did it; and then they had them; though in those days 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 seldom use the sounds of Vewels, if they spoke 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 means of the preservation of the Scripture: first by the men of the great Synagogue, then by the Massorites, then by the Grammarians. As he assigns all these their several works, 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 book prefixed to it, he triumphs upon a discovery that the vowels are so called by Rabbi Jehuda Chiug the most Ancient of the Jewish Grammarians. The business is now it seems quite finished; and he cries out; Oculis aliorum non egemus amplius, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc sumus. A sacrifice is doubtless due to this drag of Morinus. But quid dignum tanto.  
Sect. 14. 1 The place insisted on by him out of Aben Ezra, was some years 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 preface to his Consideration of that place, that he fixed on it some years ago, that he learned it from Buxtorfius, by the provision that he lays 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 deals with the Son. Censur. in Excercitat. 4. cap. 7. pag. 17: himself 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 Novel. 2ly. That the Grammarians invented these regia puncta as Aben Ezra says.  
Sect. 15. But I pray what cause of Triumph or boasting is in all this goodly discovery? was it ever denied by any, that the casting of the names of the vowels and accents, with the Titles was the work 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 Jews calling them some absolutely reges, some great and small, some matres & filias. But than saith he, the Grammarians were the Inventours of these points, why so? Aben Ezra refers this unto the work 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 design than his own testimony? It was the work of the Grammarians to know these things, therefore not to invent them; Did they invent the Radical and servile Letters? Surely they also then invented the tongue; for it consists of letters Radical 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 says he now himself? for aught appears by what we have quoted by Morinus, he is like to prove a Notable witness 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 Author was most to his purpose; And yet he fixes on one, wherein this Ancient Grammarian who lived about the years 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 Original; So also the same Aben Ezra on Psal. 9 vers. 7: tells 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 seems himself the folly of the pretence, that the points were invented by the Grammarians, the last sort of men mentioned by Aben Ezra, he says, procul omni dubio est, & luce meridianâ clarius Aben Ezram sensisse omnium Vocalium punctationem à Massorithis Tiberiensibus, & Grammaticis, qui hos secuti 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 employment, of making an hedge about the Law by their observations on all the words of it; And had he dreamt of their inventing the points, he would sure enough have assigned that work to them; and for the Grammarians, his own Testimony lies 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 Jews of Tiberias 500 years 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 needful for any so to do, until 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 persuasion opposed by them; Grounded on the Catholic tradition and consent of the Jews, The uncontradicted reception of them absolutely, without the least Opposition all the world over by Jews and Christians, the very nature of the punctation itself following the Genius of the language not arising or flowing from any Artificial Rules, the impossibility of assigning any Author to it since the days of Ezra, but only by such loose conjectures and imaginations as ought not to be admitted to any plea and place in this weighty Cause; All attended with that great uncertainty, which without their owning of these points to be of divine Original we shall be left unto, in all Translations and expositions of the Scripture. It is true; whilst the Hebrew language was the Vulgar tongue of the nation, and was spoken by every one uniformly every where, It had been possible, that upon a supposition that there were no points, men without infallible guidance and direction might possibly affix notes and figures, which might with some exactness answer the Common pronunciation of the Language, and so consequently exhibit the true and proper sense and meaning of the words themselves. But when there had been an interruption of a 1000 years in the Vulgar use of the language, it being preserved pure only in one Book; to suppose that the true and exact proauntiation of every letter, tittle and syllable was preserved alive by or all Tradition, not written any where, not Commonly spoken by any, is to build Towns and Castles of imaginations, which may be as easily cast down as they are erected, Yet unless this be supposed, (which with no Colour of reason can be supposed, which is yet so, by Capellus and the learned Author of the Prolegomena) it must be granted, that the great Rule of all present Translations, expositions, and Comments, that have been made in the Church of God for some 100 d. of years, is the Arbitrary invention of some few Jews, living in an obscure Corner of the world under the Curse of God, in their unbelief and blindness. The only Relief in the Prolegomena, against this amazing inference, is, as was said, that the Massorites affixed not the present punctation arbitrarily, (so also Capellus) but according to the Tradition they had received. What weight is to be laid upon such a Tradition for near a Thousand years (above according to Morinus) is easily to be imagined. Nor let men please themselves with the pretended facility of learning the Hebrew language without Points and Accents, and not only the language, but the true & proper reading and distinction of it in the Bible. Let the Points and Accents be wholly removed, and all Apprehensions of the sense arising, by the restraint and distinction of the words as now pointed; and then turn in the drove of the Learned Critics of this Age upon the noted Consonants, and we shall quickly see what woeful work, yea Havoc of sacred Truth will be made amongst them. Were they shut up in several Cells, I should scarcely expect the Harmony & agreement amongst them, which is fabulously reported to have been in the like case among the 70. The Jews say, & that truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man can lift up his tongue to read without punctation. And, si rationi in his & similibus dominium concedamus, toti mutabuntur libri, in literis, vocibus, & sententiis, & sic res ipsa quoque mutabitur. lib. Cosri. 1. Par. 3. pag. 28. And thus have I with all possible brevity vindicated the position formerly insisted on, from this grand exception, which might be justly feared from the principles laid down in the Prolegomena.   

CHAP. VI  
1 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Their nature and Original. The difference is in the Consonants. 3. Morinus vain Charge on Arias Montanus. 4. The senses of both Consistent. 5. Of the great Congregation. The spring and rise of these various Readins. 6. The judgement of the Prolegomena about them, their order twice over in the Appendix. 7. The rise assigned to them. 8. Considered. 9 Of Capellus his Opinion and the danger of it.  
Sect. 1. WE are not as yet come to a Close. There is another thing agitated in these Prolegomena, and represented in the Appendix, that may seem to derogate from the Universality of my Assertion, concerning the entire preservation of the Original Copies of the Scripture. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the seriptio and lectio, or scriptum and lectum, is that which I intent. The general nature of these things is known to all them that have looked into the Bible. One word is placed in the line, and another in the margin; the Word in the line having not the Points or Vowels affixed to it that are its own, but those that belong to the Word in the Margin; Of this sort there are in the Bible 840, or thereabouts; for some of the late Editions by mistake or oversight, do differ in the precise number. All men that have wrote any Considerations on the Hebrew Text have spoken of their nature in General; So hath the Author of these Prolegomena. As to our present Concernment, namely to manifest that from them no Argument can tie us to the corruption of the Original, the ensuing Observation concerning them may suffice.  
Sect. 2 1. All the difference in these words is in the Consonants, not at all in the Vowels. The Word in the margin owns the Vowels in the line, as proper to it; and the Vowels in the line seem to be placed to the Word whereunto they do not belong, because there is no other meet place for them in the line where they are to be continued as belonging to the Integrity of the Scripture.  
Sect. 3. Morinus to manifest his rage against the Hebrew Text, takes from hence Occasion to quarrel with Arias Montanus, and to accuse him of ignorance and false dealing; De Heb. Text. sincer. Excer. 1. cap. 4. pag. 40.  
The pretence of his quarrel he makes to be, that Arias affirms the greatest part of these Various lections to consist in some differences of the points; for which purpose he citys his words out of his preface to his Collection of Various lections. Maxima in his lectionibus Varietatis pars in hujusmodi punctorum discrepantia Consistit, ut toto hujus Mazzoreth sive variarum lectionum volumine demonstratur. Whereunto he subjoines, mira assertio ne una quidem in punctis sita est. Catalogum plurimorum ipse ad finem praefationis adtexuit. Et Varietates omnes sunt in literis, nulla in punctis. Confidentius scribo omnium variarum lectionum quas Judaei appellant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keri & Ketib: de quibus agit Arias nulla prorsus ad puncta pertinet. Iterun confidentius, etc. Would not any man think but that the man had made here some great discovery, both as to the nature of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also to the ignorance of Arias, whom he goes on to reproach as a Person unacquainted with the Massora, and with the Various lections of Ben-Asher, and Ben-Nepthali, of the East and Western Jews, at the end of the Venetian Bibles; which Bibles he chiefly used in the printing of his own. And yet on the other hand, men acquainted with the Ability and great deserving of Arias, will be hardly persuaded, that he was so blind and ignorant as to affirm the greatest part of the variety he spoke of consisted in the changing of Vowels, and immediately to give instances, wherein all he mentions consists in the change of Consonants only. But what if all this should prove the ignorance and prejudice of Morinus? First to his redoubled Assertion about the difference of the Keri and Ketib in the Consonants only, wherein he speaks as though he were blessing the world with a new and strange discovery, it is a thing known lippis & Tonsoribus, & hath been so since the days of Elias Levita; What then intended Arias Montanus to affirm the Contrary; hic nigri succus loliginis, haec est aerugo mera; he speaks not at all of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but merely of the anomalous pointing of words, in a various way from the Genius of the tongue, as they are observed and reckoned up in the Massora, of other Varieties he speaks afterward; giving a particular account of the Keri Uketib, which whether he esteemed Various lections nor no, I know not. Non si te superis aeques. But all are ignorant, who are not of the mind of an aspiring Jesuit.  
Sect. 4. That the difference in the sense taking in the whole context, is upon the matter very little or none at all; at least each word, both that in the line and that in the margin, yield a sense agreeable to the Anology of faith.  
Of all the Varieties that are found of this kind, that of two words, the same in sound but of most distinct significations, seems of the greatest importance; Namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 or 15 times where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not, is in the Text; the margin notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him, or his, to be read. But yet though these seem Contrary one to the other, yet where ever this falls out, a sense agreeable to the Analogy of faith ariseth fairly from either word. As to give one or two instances: Psal: 100 verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath made us, and not we ourselves, The Keri in the margin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his, giving this sense; he hath made us, and his we are; The verb Substantive being included in the pronounce. So Isa. 63. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their afflictions or straits, no straightness; So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straightness or affliction was to him, or he was straightened or afflicted: In the first way, God signifieth that when they were in their outward straits, yet he was not straightened from their relief; in the other, that he had Compassion for them, was afflicted with them, which upon the matter is the same; And the like may be showed of the rest.  
Sect. 5. I confess I am not able fully to satisfy myself in the Original and spring of all this Variety, being not willing merely to depend on the Testimony of the Jews, much less on the conjectures of late innovators. To the uttermost length of my view, to give a full account of this thing, is a matter of no small difficulty. Their Venerable Antiquity, and unquestionable Reception by all Translatours gives them sanctuary from being cast down from the place they hold by any man's bare Conjecture. That which to me is of the greatest importance, is, that they appear most of them to have been in the Bibles, then, when the Oracles of God were Committed to the Jews, during which time we find them not blamed for adding or altering one word or Tittle. Hence the Caldee Paraphrast often follows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which never was in the Line whatever some boastingly conjecture to the contrary: and sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That which seems to me most probable is, that they were Collected for the most part of them, by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men of the Great Congregation. Some indeed I find of late (I hope not out of a design to bring all things to a further Confusion about the Original) to question whether ever there were any such thing as the great congregation. Morinus calls it a Judaical figment. Our Prolegomena question it. Prol. 8. Sect. 22. But this is only to question, whether Ezra, Nehemiah, Josua, Zacharie, Haggai & the rest of the leaders of the people in their return from the Captivity, did set a Sanydrym according to the institution of God, and labour to reform the Church & all the Corruptions that were crept either into the Word or worship of God. I see not how this can reasonably be called into question, if we had not to confirm it the Catholic tradition of Jews and Christians. Neither is it called the great Congregation from its number, but eminency of persons. Now on this supposition it may be granted that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the books of these men themselves Ezra and the rest, were collected by the succeeding Churches. Unless we shall suppose with Anisworth, that the Word was so received from God, as to make both necessary. And if we know not the true Cause of its being so given, we have nothing to blame but our own ignorance, this not being the Only Case wherein we have reason so to do. Our last Translation generally rendereth the word in the Margin noting also the Word in the line where there is any Considerable difference. Those who have leisure for such a work, may observe what choice is used in this Case by old and Modern Translatours. And if they had not believed them to have had an Authoritative original beyond the impeachment of any man in these days, they could not fairly and honestly have used both line and margin as they have done.  
Sect. 6. What says now our Prolegomena, with the Appendix unto these things.  
1. We have them in the Appendix represented unto us in their own order according as they are found in the books of the Scriptures; And then over again, in the order and under the heads that they are drawn and driven unto by Capellus; A task, that learned man took upon himself, that he might in the performance of it, give some Countenance to his Opinion, that they are for the most part Critical Emendations of the Text, made by some late Massorites, that came no man knows whence; that lived no man knows where, nor when. Thus whereas these Keri Uketib, have the only face and appearance upon the matter, of Various lections upon the old Testament, (for the Jews Collections of the Various Readins of Ben Asher and Ben Nepthali, of the Oriental and Occidental Jews, are of no Value, nor ever had place in their Bible and may be rejected) the unwary Viewer of the Appendix is presented with a great Bulk of them, their whole Army being mustered twice over in this service.  
Sect. 7. But this inconvenience may be easily amended, nor am I concerned in it. Wherefore 3dly for the rise of them it is said that some of them are the amendments of the Massorites or Rabbins, others, Various lections out of divers Copies. That they are all, or the most part of them Critical amendments of the Rabbins is not allowed; for which latter part of his determination, we thank the learned Author; and take leave to say that in the former we are not satisfied, Prol. 8. 23, 24, 25: the Arguments that are produced to prove them not to have been from Ezra, but the most part from postalmudicall Rabbins are capable of a very easy solution which also another occasion may discover; at present I am gone already too far beyond my intention, so that I cannot allow myself any farther digression.  
Sect. 8. To Answer briefly. Ezra and his Companions might be the Collectors of all those in the Bible, but their own Books; and those in their own books might be added by the succeeding Church. The Oriental and Occidental Jews, differ about other things as well as the Keri and ketib. The Rule of the Jews, that the Keri is always to be followed, is novel; and therefore the old Translators might read either, or both, as they saw cause. There was no occasion at all why these things should be mentioned by Josephus, Philo, Origen: Hjerome says indeed on Isa. 49. 5. that Aquila rendered that word, to him, which is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. But he makes it not appear that Aquila read not as he translated, that is by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And for what is urged of the Caldee and 70, making use of the keris and ketib, it is not intended that they knew the difference under these names, but that these differences were in their days. That the word now in the margin was in the line until the days of the pretended Masorites, is not to be said nakedly but proved, if such a novel fancy expect any Credit in the world. That the Judaical Rabbins have made some alterations in the Text of their own accord, at least placed words in the margin, as to their Consonants, supplying their vowels in the line, where they ought not to have place; that there were various lections in the Copies after the Talmud, which have been gathered by some obscure Jews, no mention being made of those collections in the Masora, or any of their Grammarians, is the sum of the discourse under Consideration. When all this, or any part of it is proved by Testimony, or evident Reason, we shall further attend unto it.  
Sect. 9 In the mean time I cannot but rejoice, that Capellus his fancy about these things, than which I know nothing more pernicious to the truth of God, is rejected. If these 100ds of words were the Critical conjectures and amendments of the Jews, what security have we of the mind of God as truly represented unto us, seeing that it is supposed also, that some of the words in the margin were sometimes in the line; and if it be supposed, as it is, that there are innumerable other places of the like nature, standing in need of such amendments, what a door would be opened unto Curious Pragmatical wits, to overturn all the certainty of the Truth of the Scripture, every one may see. Give once this liberty to the audacious curiosity of men, priding themselves in their Critical Abilities, and we shall quickly find out what woeful state and condition the Truth of the Scripture will be brought unto. If the Jews have made such amendments and Corrections of the Text, and that to so good purpose, and if so much worth of the like kind yet remain, can any man possibly better employ himself, then with his uttermost diligence to put his hand to this plow. But he that pulleth down an Hedge, a Serpent shall bite him.   

CAAP. VII.  
1 Of gathering various lections by the help of Translations. 2 The proper use and benefit of Translations. Their new pretended use. 3 The state of the Originals on this new pretence. 4 Of the Remedy tendered to the relief of that state. 5 No copies of old differing in the least from those we now enjoy, from the Testimony of our Saviour. 6 No Testimony new or old to that purpose. 7 Requisites unto Good Translations. 8 Of the Translations in the Biblia Polyglotta: of the Arabic. 9 Of the Syriack. 10 Of the Samaritan Pentateuch. 11 Of the Chaldee Paraphrase. 12 Of the Vulgar Latin. 13 Of the Seventy. 14 Of the Translation of the New Testament: of the Persian. 15 Of the Aethiopian. 16 The value of these Translations as to the work in hand. 17 Of the supposition of Gross corruption in the Originals. 18 Of various lections out of Grotius. 19 Of the Appendix in General.  
Sect. 5. BEcause it is the judgement of some, that yet other objections may be raised against the Thesis pleaded for, from what is affirmed in the Prolegomena about gathering various lections by the help of Translations, and the instances of that good work given us in the Appendix, I shall close this discourse with the consideration of that Pretence.  
Sect. 2. The great and signal use of various Translations, which hitherto we have esteemed them for, was the help afforded by them in Expositions of the Scripture. To have represented unto us in one view the several Apprehensions and judgements of so many worthy and learned men, as were the Authors of these Translations, upon the Original words of the Scripture, is a signal help and Advantage unto men enquiring into the mind and will of God in his Word. That Translations were of any other use formerly, was not apprehended. They are of late presented unto us under another notion: namely, as means and helps of correcting the Original, and finding out the Corruptions that are in our present copies, showing that the Copies which their Authors used, did really differ from those which we now enjoy, and use. For this rare Invention we are, as for the former, chiefly beholding to the learned and most diligent Capellus, who is followed, as in sundry instances himself declares, by the no less learned Grotius. To this purpose the scene is thus laid. It is supposed of old there were sundry Copies of the old Testament differing in many things, words, sentences, from those we now enjoy. Out of these Copies some of the Ancient Translations have been made. In their Translations they express the sense and meaning of the Copies they made use of. Hence by considering what they deliver, where they differ from our present copies, we may find out, (that is, learned men who are expert at Conjectures may do so) how they read in theirs. Thus may we come to a further discovery of the Various Corruptions that are crept into the Hebrew Text, and by the help of those Translations amend them. Thus Capellus. The learned Author of our Prolegomena handles this business Prol. 6. I do not remember that he expressly any where affirms, that they had other Copies than those we now enjoy; But whereas (besides the keri and ketib, the various readings of Ben Asher, and Ben Napthali, of the East and Western Jews) there are through the neglect, oscitancy, and frailty of the Transcribers, many things befallen the Text, not such failings as happening in one Copy, may be easily rectified by others, which are not to be regarded as various lections, nor such as may be Collected out of any Ancient Copies, but faults, or mistakes in all the Copies we enjoy, or have ever been known, by the help and use of Translations, conjecturing how they read in their books, either with other words, or letters, Consonants or Points, we may collect Various lections, as out of the Original; What this Opinion upon the matter differeth from that of Capellus I see not; for the difference between our Copies, and those of old, are by him assigned to no other Original; nor doth Capellus say that the Jews have voluntarily corrupted the Text; but only that alterations are befallen it, by the means and ways recounted in the Prolegomena. To make this evident by Instances! we have a great number of such Various Lections gathered by Grotius in the Appendix. The truth is, how the Volume should come under that name, at first View I much wondered. The greatest part of it, gives us no Various Lections of the Hebrew Text as is pretended; but Various interpretations of others from the Hebrew. But the Prolegomena salve that seeming difficulty. The particulars assigned as Various Lections, are not differing readings collected out of any Copies extant, or ever known to have been extant, but Critical conjectures of his own for the amendment of the Text, or at most Conjectures upon the reading of the words by Translatours, especially the 70 and Vulgar latin.  
Sect. 3. Let us now Consider our disease intimated, and the Remedy prescribed; together with the improbability of the one, and the unsuitableness of the other as to the removeall of it; being once supposed. The distemper pretended is dreadful, and such, as it may well prove mortal to the Sacred truth of the Scripture. The sum of it as was declared before, is that there were of old sundry Copies extant, differing in many things from those we now enjoy, according to which, the ancient Translations were made; whence it is come to pass, that in so many places they differ from our present Bibles even all that are extant in the world; So Capellus; or that there are Corruptions befallen the Text (Varieties from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) that may be found by the help of Translations, as our Prolegomena.  
Sect. 4. Now whereas the first Translation that ever was, as is pretended, is that of the 70, and that of all others, excepting only those which have been translated out of it, doth most vary and differ from our Bible, as may be made good by some 1000ds of instances, we cannot but be exceedinly uncertain in finding out wherein those Copies, which as it is said, were used by them, did differ from ours, or wherein ours are Corrupted; but are left unto endless uncertain Conjectures. What sense others may have of this distemper I know not; for my own part I am solicitous for the Ark; or the Sacred truth of the Original; And that because I am fully persuaded that the Remedy and relief of this evil, provided in the Translations, is unfit to the Cure, yea fitted to increase the disease. Some other Course then must be taken. And seeing the Remedy, is notoriously insufficient to effect the Cure, let us try whether the whole distemper be not a mere fancy, and and so do what in us lie to prevent that Horrible and outrageous violence, which will undoubtedly be offered to the Sacred Hebrew verity, if every Learned Mountebank may be allowed to practise upon it, with his Conjectures from Translations.  
Sect. 5. It is well known that the Translation of the Seventy, if it have the Original pretended, and which alone makes it considerable, was made and finished 300 years or ne'er thereabout, before the Incarnation of our Saviour, that was, in that time and season wherein the Oracles of God were committed to the Jews whilst that Church and people were the only people of God, accepted with him, designed by him keepers of his Word for the use of the whole Church of Christ to come, as the great and blessed foundation of truth. A time when there was an Authentic Copy of the whole Scripture, as the Rule of all others kept in the Temple; now can it be once imagined that there should be at that time such notorious varieties in the Copies of the Scripture through the negligence of that Church, & yet afterwards neither our Saviour nor his Apostles take the least notice of it; yea doth not our Saviour himself affirm of the word that then was among the Jews, that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it, should pass away or perish, where let not the points but the Consonants themselves with their Apices be intended or alluded unto in that expression; yet of that word which was translated by the Seventy, according to this hypothesis, and which assuredly they then had if ever, not only letters and Tittles, but words, and that many, are concluded to be lost. But that no Jew believes the figment we are in the consideration of, I could say, credat Apella.  
Sect. 6. 2. Waveing the consideration of our refuge in these cases, namely the good providence and care of God in the preservation of his word, let the Authors of this Insinuation prove the assertion; namely that there was ever in the world any other Copy of the Bible, differing in any one word from those that we now enjoy; let them produce one Testimony, one Author of credit, Jew or Christian, that can, or doth, or ever did, speak one word to this purpose. Let them direct us to any relic, any monument, any kind of Remembrance of them, and not put us off with weak conjectures, upon the signification of one or two words, and it shall be of weight with us? Is it meet that a matter of so huge importance, called into Question by none but themselves should be cast and determined by their conjectures? do they think that men will part with the possession of Truth upon so easy terms? that they will be cast from their inheritance by divination? but they will say is it not evident that the old Translatours did make use of other Copies, in that we see how they have translated many Words, and places, so as it was not possible they should have done, had they rendered our Copy according to what we now read; But will indeed this be pleaded? may it not be extended to all places, as well as to any? and may not men plead so for every variation made by the Seaventy from the Original; they had other Copies than any now are extant; better all old Translations should be consumed out of the Earth, than such a figment should be admitted. That there are innumerable other Reasons to be assigned of the Variations from the Original; as the Translatours own inadvertency, negligence, Ignorance, (for the wisest see not all,) desire to expound and clear the sense, &, as it was likely, of altering & varying many things from the Original, with the innumerable corruptions & Interpolations that have befallen that Translation, indifferently well witnessed unto by the various lections exhibited in the Appendix, it were easy to manifest; seeing then, that neither the care of God over his Truth, nor the fidelity of the Judaical Church whilst the Oracles of God were committed thereunto, will permit us to entertain the least suspicion, that there was ever in the world any Copy of the Bible differing in the least from that which we enjoy, or that those we have are corrupted as is pretended; and seeing that the Authors of that insinuation cannot produce the least testimony to make it good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the mercy and goodness of God in the entire unquestionable possession of his Oracles once committed to the Jews, and the faith therein once committed to the Saints.  
But now to suppose, that such indeed hath been the condition of the holy Bible in its Originals as is pretended let us consider whether any relief in this case be to be expected from the Translations exhibited unto us with much pains, care, and diligence in these Biblia-Polyglotta, and so at once determine that Question, whether this be any part of the use of Translations, be they never so ancient, namely to correct the Originals by, leaving further discussion of sundry things in and about them to other Exercitations.  
Sect. 7 1. That all, or any Translation, may be esteemed useful for this purpose, I suppose without any contention it will be granted. (1.) That we be certain concerning them, that they are translated out of the Originals themselves, and not out of the Interpretations of them that went before them; for if that appear, all their Authority as to the business enquired after, falls to the ground, or is at best resolved into that former, whence they are taken, if they are at agreement therewith; otherwise they are a thing of naught; and this one consideration, will be found to lay hold of one moiety of these Translations:  
2ly That they be of venerable Antiquity, so as to be made when there were other Copies of the Original in the world besides that which we now enjoy.  
3ly. That they be known to be made by men of ability and integrity, found in the faith, and conscientiously careful not to add or detract from the Originals they made the Translation out of; If all these things at least, concur not in a Translation, it is most undeniably evident that it can be of no use, as to assist in the finding out what corruptions have befallen our Copies; and what is the true Lection of any place about which any differences do arise. Let us then, as without any prejudice in ourselves, so without (I hope) any offence to others, very briefly consider the state and condition of the Translations given us in the Biblia Polyglotta as to the Qualifications laid down.  
Sect. 8. Let us then take a view of some of the chiefest of them without observing any order; seeing there is no more Reason for that which is laid down in this Appendix then for any other that may be fixed on; I shall begin with the Arabic, for the honour I bear to the renounedly learned publisher of it & the various lections of the several Copies thereof; and the rather because he hath dealt herein with his wont candour, giving in a clear and learned account of the Original and Nature of that Translation, which I had for the substance of it, received from him in a discourse before, wherein also he gave me a satisfactory account concerning some other translations, which I shall not need now to mention; though I shall only say his judgement in such things is to be esteemed at least equal, with any now alive.  
Then he tells us upon the matter that this Translation is a Cento made up of many ill suited pieces, there being no Translation in that Language extant; I speak of the old Testament; 2ly. For the Antiquity of the most ancient part of it was made about the year 4700 of the Jews account, that is of Christ 950. 3ly. It was as to the Pentateuch translated by R: Saadias' Haggaon. 4ly. That it is interpreted & changed in sundry things by some other person. 5ly. That he who made these changes seemed to have so done that he might the better thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to some particular Opinion of his own, whereof sundry instances are given. 6ly. That he seems to have been a Mahometan, or at least much to have favoured them, as appears from other Evidences, so from the inscription of his work with that solemn motto taken out of the Alcoran, in nomine Dei miseratoris, misericordis. 6ly. It may be thought also that some other, a Jew, or a Samaritan had his hand in corrupting the last Translation. 7ly. Who thought to stamp a divine Authority upon his particular Opinions. 8ly. That the foundation of this Translation now printed bein that of Saadias', it is observable that he professeth, that he did both add and detract according as he thought meet, that so he might set out, the hidden (cabbalistical) understanding of the Scripture. 9ly. That the other Arabic Translations that are extant, are out of the Seventy: either immediately, or by the Syriack which was Translated out of it: on these and the like heads doth that Oracle of the Eastern learning, who hath not only (as some) learned the words of some of those Languages, but searched with great diligence and judgement into the nature of the learning extant in them, and the importance of the Books we have, discourse in that preface. It is the way of Sciolists when they have obtained a little skill in any language or science to persuade the World that all worth and wisdom lies therein; men throughly learned, and whose learning is regulated by a sound Judgement, know that the true use of their abilities consists in the true suiting of men to a clear acquaintance with truth. In that kind, not only in this particular are we beholding to this Worthy learned Person. I suppose there will not need much arguing, to prove that this Translation though exceeding useful in its own place, and kind, yet is not in the least a fit remedy to relieve us, against any pretended corruption in the Original, or to gather various lections different from our present Copy by; Well may it exercise the ability of learned men, to consider wherein and how often it goes, off from the Rule of faith; But Rule in in its self, and upon its own account, coming short of all the necessary Qualifications laid down before, it is none.  
Should I now go to gather instances of the failings of this Translation, open and gross, and so proceed with the rest, I think I might make a Volume near as big as that of various lections, now afforded us: but I have another manner of account to give of my hours then so to spend them.  
Sect. 9 Whether the Syriack Translation be any fitter for this use, any one who shall be pleased to consider & weigh it, will easily discover. It seems indeed to have been made out of the Original, at least for some part of it; or that the Translation of the 70 hath been in many things changed since this was made, which I rather suppose. But when, where, or by whom, it doth not appear; nor doth it in many things seem to have any respect at all unto the Hebrew; the note at the close of the Prophets I suppose to proceed rather from the Scribe of that Individual Copy, than the Translator; but that the Reader may see what hands it hath passed through, he may take it as it's rendered by the learned Author of the Annotations on that Translation; Explicit Malachias sive libri 12 Prophetarum, quorum oratio perpetuò nobis adsit, Amen; precibúsque ipsorum, precibúsque omnium sanctorum, sodalium ipsorum praesertìm virgins, quae Deum peperit, omnium Sanctorum matris quae pro genere Adami intercedit, propitius sit Deus Lectori & Scriptori Peccatori, & omnibus sive verbo sive opere, ipsis participantibus; but this good Conclusion is as I suppose from the Scribe, the usual negligence of whom in his work is frequently Taxed in the collection of various readings, as pag. 8. & alibi.  
Now though I confess this Translation to be very useful in many things, and to follow the Original for the most part, yet being made as yet I know neither when nor by whom, in sundry places evidently following another Corrupt Translation, having passed through the hands of men ignorant and suspicious, against whose frauds and folly, by the reason of the paucity of Copies we have no relief, I question whether it may be esteemed of any great use of importance, as to the End enquired after.  
Sect. 10. Of the Samaritan Pentateuch both Original and Translation we shall not need to add much; What the people from whom it hath its denomination were, is known; nor have the Inquiries of Scaliger, or Morinus, added any thing to what is vulgarly known of them from the Scripture, & Josephus; In a word, an Idolatrous, Superstitious, wicked people they were, before they were subdued by Hyrcanus; afterwards they continued in the Separation from the true Church of God; & upon the Testimony of our Saviour had not Salvation among them. When they received their Pentateuch is uncertain; Uncertain also how long they kept it; that they corrupted it whilst they had it, is notuncertaine; They are charged to have done so by the Jews in the Talmud, and the instance they give abides to this day; Deut. 11. 30. They have added Sichem to the Text, to give Countenance to their abominations. And openly in Deut. 27. 4: where God gives a command that an Altar should be set up on mount Ebal, they have wickedly and nefariously corrupted the Text and put in Gerizim. Now one such voluntary corruption made on set purpose to countenance a sin, and false worship, is enough to lay low the Authority of any Copy whatever. The Copy here printed was brought out of the East from Damascus not long since. It appears to have been 230 years old saith Morinus in the account of it, Opusc. Samar. praefat: ad Translat Samarat: As I said before, that any Samaritans do as yet remain is uncertain; some few Jews there are that walk in that way, here and there a few families. Now that this Pentateuch which was never as such committed to the Church of God, that had its rise no man knows by whom, and that hath been preserved no man knows how, known by few, used by none of the ancient Christians, that hath been voluntarily corrupted by men of corrupt minds to countenance them in their folly, should be of any Authority upon its own single account to any end or purpose, especially to vie with the Hebrew Text, men that have not some design that they publicly own not, will scarce contend. The places instanced in by Morinus to prove its integrity above the Hebrew Copy, 
Morin: Cap. 1. Exercit: 4.  as to the solution of difficulties by it, in Gen: 11. 29, 31. Exod. 12. 40; do evedently prove it corrupt; any man that will consider them will find the alterations purposely made to avoid the difficulties in those places, which is one common evidence of Corruption, in Gen. 11. 31: 60 years are cut off from the life of Tera to make the Chronologie agree; and that of Exod. 12. the dwelling of the Children of Israel and their Fathers, when they dwelled in the land of Canaan, and in the land of Egypt, was 430 years, is a plain Comment or Exposition on the Text, nor would Hierome, who had this Copy, make any use of it, in these difficulties. Might I go over the rest of Morinus his instances whereby he seeks to credit his Samaritan Copy, which we have in these Biblia Polyglotta, I could manifest that there is scarce one of them, but yields a clear Argument of Corruption in it, upon some of the best grounds that we have to judge of the sincerity or corruption of any Copy; and if this Pentateuch had been of any credit of old, it would not have been omitted, yea as it seems utterly rejected as a thing of nought, by Origen in his diligent collection of the Original and Versions.  
But we are in a way and business, wherein all things are carried to and fro by conjectures; and it were no hard task to manifest the utter uncertainty of what is fixed on as the Original of this Pentateuch, by the Author of the Prolegomena, or to reinforce those conjectures which he opposeth; but that is not my present work; nor do I know that ever it will be so. But I must for the present say; That I could have been glad, that he had refrained the close of his discourse, Sect. 2: wherein from the occasional mention of the Samaritan liturgy, and the pretended antiquity of it, he falls not without some bitterness of spirit on those who have laid aside the English service book; It were not (in the Judgement of some) imprudently done, to reserve a triumph over the Sectaries; to some more considerable Victory, than any is to be hoped from the Example of the Samaritans: Were they all Barbers, and Porters, and Alehousekeepers, yet they might easily discern, that the example and precedent of a wicked people, forsaken of God, and forsaking of him, to whom the promise of 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 wisdom and learning who are able to instruct them, shall condescend personally so to do. But I shall forbear, 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 Jews would have Jonathan to have lived not long after Ezra. Others that he was the chief Disciple of Hillel about an 100 years before Christ's 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 several times, some above 500 years after our Saviour, and are full of talmudical fancies, if not fables; as that on the Canticles. That all these Targums are of excellent 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 Original. 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 aim of those Paraphrasts to render the Original Text exactly verbum de verbo; but to represent the sense of the Text, according as it appeared to their judgement; Hence it is impossible to give any true account how they read in any place, wherein they descent 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 mystical senses, especially the latter, and so were necessitated to go 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 careful hands it hath passed through, the bulky collection of various lections given in this Appendix doth abundantly manifest; and seeing it hath not lain under any peculiar care and merciful providence of God, whether innumerable other faults and Errors, 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 Son 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 latin, its uncertain Original, 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 again: 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 modern Translations, and very unfit to yield the relief sought after.  
Sect. 13. The 70 is that which must bear 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 then that is. But here again all things are exceedingly uncertain, nothing almost is manifest concerning it, but that it is woefully corrupt; Its rise is uncertain; some call 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 them & their works, are certainly fabulous; That they should be sent for upon the advice 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 work, are all of them incredible. See Scal. ad Euseb. fol. 123. Wouwer Syntag. cap. 11.  
Some of the Jews say that they made the Translation out of a corrupt Chaldee Paraphrase, and to me this seems not unlikely. Josephus, Austin, Philo, Hierome, Zonaras affirm that they translated the Law or Pentateuch only; Josephus affirms this expressly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith he) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Proem. ad Antiquit: and this is a received Opinion: whence we have the rest is unknown. 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, Hieron●mus passim in monumentis suis eam septuaginta interpretibus attribuere videtur. Nos quoque cum 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 Jews, as is most probable; yet it is certain, that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it, if left in the Library of Alexandria, was consumed to ashes in Caesar's wars; though chrysostom tells us, that the Prophets were placed in the Temple of Serapis, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: ad Judaeos: and they abide there, saith he, unto this day; How unlikely this is, any man may guess, by what Hierome, who made another manner of Enquiry after those things than chrysostom, affirms concerning the incurable various Copies of that Translation wanting an Umpire of their differences. We know also what little exactness men in those days, before the use of Grammar attained in the knowledge of Languages, in their relation to one another; and some learned men do much Question even the skill of those interpreters, so Munster. Praefat: ad Biblia; Videbat Hieronymus Vir pius & doctus, Latino's verâ & genuinâ legis atque Prophetarum destitutos lectione, nam LXX Interpretum editio, quae tunc ubique locorum receptissima erat apud Graecos & Latino's nedum perperam pleríque in locis versa fuit, verum per Scriptores atque Scribas plurimum corrupta, id quod & hodiè facile patet conferenti editionem illam juxta Hebraicam, veritatem, ut interim fatear illos non admodum peritos fuisse linguae Hebraicae id vel quod inviti cogimur fateri, alioquin in plurimis locis non tam foedè lapsi fuissent.  
If moreover the ability be granted, what security have we of their principles and honesty. Cardinal Ximenius in his preface to the edition of the Complutensian Bibles, tells us, (that which is most true, if the Translation we have be theirs) that on sundry accounts they took liberty in Translating according to their own mind; & thence conclude, Unde Translatio septuaginta duum, quandeque est superflua, quandoque diminuta; it is sometimes superfluous, sometimes wanting; but suppose all these uncertainties might be overlooked, yet the intolerable Corruptions, that (as it is on all hands confessed) have crept into the translation, makes it altogether useless as to the end we are enquiring after; this Hierome in his Epistle to Chromat: at large declares, and shows from thence the necessity of a new Translation. Yea Bellarmine himself says, that though he believes the Translation of the Septuagint to be still extant, yet it is so corrupt and vitiated, that it plainly appears to be another, lib. 2, de Verbo Dei, Cap. 6.  
He that shall read and consider what Hierome hath written of this Translation even then when he was excusing himself, and condescended to the utmost to wave the envy that was coming one him, upon his new Translation, in the second Book of his Apology against Ruffinus, Cap. 8. 9; repeating and mollifying what he had spoken of it in an other place, will be enabled in some measure to guess of what account it ought to be with us. In brief he tells us, it is corrupt, interpolated; mingled by Origen with that of Theodotion marked with Asterisks and Obelisks; that there were so many Copies of it, and they so varying, that no man knew what to follow; tells us of a learned man who on that account interpreted all the Errors he could light on for Scripture; that in the Book of Job take away what was added to it by Origen, or is marked by him, and little will be left; his discourse is too long to transcribe; see also his Epistle to Chromatius at large to this purpose. Let the Reader also consult the learned Masius in his Preface to his most learned Comment on Joshua.  
Sect. 14. For the Translations of the new Testament that are here afforded us, little need be spoken; of the Antiquity, usefulness, and means of bringing the Syriack into Europe, an account hath been given by many, and we willingly acquiesce in it: the Aethiopian and Persian are novel things, of little use or value, yea I suppose it may safely be said they are the worst and most corrupt that are extant in the world; The Persian was not translated out of the Greek, as is confessed by the learned Annotator upon it: Praesens locus satis arguit, Persam Graecum codicem haud consuluisse; in Luc. 10. & 41. Yea in how many things he goes off from the Greek, Syriack, Arabic, yea goes directly contrary to the truth; is both acknowledged by its Publisher, and is manifest from the thing itself; I know no use of it, but only to show that such a useless thing is in the world.  
Sect. 15. Nor is the Aethiopian one whit better; a novel endeavour of an illiterate person: he tells us that John when he wrote the Revelation was Archbishop, of Constantia, or Constantinople, &c: It is to no purpose to go over the like observations that might be made on these Translations; if any man hath a mind to be led out of the way, he may do well to attend unto them. Whether some of them be in use now in the world I know not, I am sure it is well if they be not; had I not seen them, I could not have imagined any had been so bad: would I make it my business to give instances of the mistakes, Ignorance, falsifications, Errors & corruptions of these Translatours, who ere they were (Jews or Christians) for I am not without some ground of thinking that Jews have had their hands in them for money) my discourse, as I said before, would swell into a Volume, and unless necessitated, I shall avoid it.  
Sect. 16. From what hath been spoken it 〈◊〉 abundantly appear, that if there are indeed such corruptions, mistakes, and 〈◊〉 crept into the Original; as some have pretended, there is no relief in the least provided for the security of Truth, by any of the Translations exhibited unto us in these late editions of the Bible; themselves being of an uncertain Original, corrupt, and indeed of no authority from themselves, but merely from their Relation to that whose credit is called in Question; for my own part as I said before, I allow them the proper use, and place; and am thankful to them by whose Care and pains we are made 〈◊〉 of them; but to endeavour by them to correct the Scripture, to gather various lections out of the Original as say others, for my part I abhor the thoughts of it, let others do as seem good unto them. And if ever I be necessitated to speak in particular of these Translations, there are yet in readiness further discoveries to be made of them.  
Sect. 17. There remains only as to my purpose in hand that some brief account be taken of what is yet further insinuated, of the liberty to observe Various lections in the Bible upon supposition of gross corruptions that may be crept into it, as also of the specimen of various lections gathered out of Grotius his annotations, and somewhat of the whole bulk of them, as presented unto us in the Appendix.  
For the Corruptions supposed, I could heartily wish that learned men would abstain from such insinuations unless they are able to give them some pretence by instances; It is not spoken of this or that Copy, which by the Error of the Scribes or Printers may have important mistakes found in it. There is no need of men's critical abilities to rectify such mistakes, other Copies are at hand for their relief. It is of the Text without such suppositions, that this insinuation is made; now to cast scruples into the minds of men, about the integrity and sincerity of that, without sufficient ground or warrant, is surely not allowable. It is not good to deal so with men or their writings, much less with the Word of God▪ Should any man write that in case of such a man's theft, or murder, who is a man of unspotted reputation, it were good to take such or such a course with him, and publish it to the world, would their stirring of such rumours be looked on as an honest, Christian, and candid course of proceeding? And is it safe to deal so with the Scripture? I speak of Protestants; for Papists, who are grown bold in the opposition to the Originals of the Scripture, I must needs say, that I look upon them as effectually managing a design of Satan to draw men into Atheism. Nor in particular do I account of Morinus his Exercitations one whit better. It is readily acknowledged, that there are many difficult places in the Scripture, especially in the Historical Books of the old Testament. Some of them have by some been looked at as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The industry of learned men of old, and of late Jews and Christians, have been well exercised in the Interpretation and reconciliation of them: by one, or other, a fair & probable account is given of them all. Where we cannot reach the utmost depth of truth, it hath been thought meet, that poor worms should captivate their understandings to the truth and Authority of God in his word. If there be this liberty once given that they may be looked on as corruptions, and amended at the pleasure of men, how we shall be able to stay before we come to the bottom of questioning the whole Scripture, I know not. That than which yet we insist upon, is, that according to all Rules of equal procedure, men are to prove such Corruptions, before they entertain us with their provision of means for remedy.  
Sect. 18. For the Specimen of various lections gathered out of Grotius his Annotations, I shall not much concern myself therein; they are nothing less than various lections of that learned man's own observations; set aside; 1. The various lections of the 70, and vulgar latin of Symmachus, Aquila, and Theodotion, wherein we are not concerned. 2ly. The Keri and Cethib which we have often times over and over in this Volume. 3ly. The various readings of the Oriental and Occidental Jew's which we have also elsewhere. 4ly. Conjectures how the 70, or vulgar latin read, by altering letters only. 5ly. Conjectures of his own how the Text may be mended, and a very little room will take up what remains; By that cursory view I have taken of them, I see not one word that can pretend to be a various lection; unless it belong to the Keri and Cethib, or the difference between the Oriental and the Occidental Jews: so that as I said before, as to my present design I am not at all concerned in that collection; those that are may further consider it.  
Sect. 19 As short an account will seem for the general consideration of the whole bulky collection of various lections that we have here presented unto us; for those of the several Translations we are not at all concerned in them: where any or all of them fail, or are corrupted, we have a Rule blessed be God, preserved to rectify them by. For those of the Originals I have spoken to them in particular; I shall only add, that we have some of them both from the old and new Testament given us thrice over at least, many of the Keri and Cethib, after a double service done by them, are given us again, the third time by Grotius, so also are those of the new Testament by the same Grotius, and Lucas Brugensis.  
FINIS.    

Errata.  
Pag. lin. 11 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 20 13 for to read too. 24 8 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 22 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 7 after 8 add 20 38 19 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 41 ult. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 44 11 for Rationa●ll. r. rational. ib. l. 14. r. Eternal. 45 16 deal Au. 54 20 for as r. us. 72 6 for partaker. r. partaker. 84. 11 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 39 1 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 116 pen: for de r. he. 117 8 for no. r. on. 135 3. undrtaking. r. undertaking. 186 2 for Posittion. r. Position. l. ult. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 209 2 fo● Zimenius r. Ximenius. 213 8 for though r. the 219 13 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. r. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 221 4. f. is yet. r. is not yet. 226 18 on wards. r. onwards. 263 15 f. to r. too. 256 10 f. or r. as. 257 9 f. his r. is 271 12 f. miskna r. mishna.  21 f. punctat. r. puritat. 272 2. speaks. r. speak.  11 word. r. words. 275 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 288 24 things r. Kings. 294 11 noted r. naked. 296 23 tie us, r. arise. 299 23 nor r. or.  24 superis. r. capuis. 308 22 worth. r. work 313 11 the volume, r. that volume. 316 7 that was r. it was.  

Dr. OWEN 

Of the Divine Orig.  
of the Scriptures.