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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/eswtransOOross 
 
A N 
 
 ESSA1 
 
 FOR 
 
 A New Tranflation 
 
 of the 
 
 BIBLE 
 
A N 
 
 E S S A Y 
 
 FOR 
 
 A New Tranjlation 
 
 Of THE 
 
 BIBLE 
 
 Wherein is fhewn, 
 
 FromReafbn and Authority, 
 
 That all former tranflaiiom arc Faulty; and 
 that there is need of a New Tranjlation. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 "" 
 
 { 
 
 Done .Lit of French, with neceflary Al- 
 terations and Additions, relating par- 
 ticularly to the Englijb Tranflation. 
 
 pudendum eji ut tllujirata Veritas pa* 
 teat, r/iultiq; ah errore liforentur. Ladt. 
 Inftit. Div. A4. c. 5-. 
 
 LONDON- 
 
 Printed for John Hepburn, at the Three Black- 
 LjGns in the Strand, and John Nutt, near 
 
 Staticnen-Hall, 1 70 1 , 
 
 P* 4 
 
 , 1 
 
TO T H F. 
 
 READER 
 
 AS a Tranjlation of nhe Holy Script 
 tures , according to this Effay 9 
 would be of great ufe to rnoft Chriftians, and 
 fave them the ex pence and pains of buying 
 and confulting Commentators ;fo theferious 
 and impartial Confxderation of the Effay 
 it felf y may contribute to the reading of 
 them with pleafure and profit, as they arc 
 already Tranflated. For, befides that it 
 renders a great many places of Scri- 
 pture more truely and clearly than they 
 have been formerly exprejsd by any ver~ 
 fion, ic difcovers alfo the Source and Caufes 
 of the Err ours and Mtftakes that are to be 
 found in allVerfions ; and furnifhes us with 
 plain and epfie Rules, by which Ferfons of 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 the meaneft capacity \ may eafily ohjerve the 
 rmfl material Faults ' of Tranfldtions. And 
 its Rules too have this advantage \ that {in 
 the general at leaft) they have the appro- 
 l at ion of the mofl learned and judicious Di- 
 vines of all parties. 
 
 In tranflating of it , 1 have often 
 wade hold with the Original , adding 
 and taking away fever al things, altering 
 the order and number of the Chapters, and^ 
 in fhorty making fuch changes loth in the 
 matter and method, as I judgd neceffary, 
 for the profit and pie a fur e of the Englifh 
 Reader. 
 
 To this end, I have taken particular 
 notice offeveral Faults of our Englifli Bi- 
 ble , which are common to it with other 
 Tranflations, and offome which are almofl 
 peculiar to it felf ; and I have likewife 
 fhewn, that it has a great many Paffages 
 let tar render d than they are to be found in 
 feme other Languages. I have, as much as 
 poffible, hftout the Greek and Hebrew, th$ 
 frequent School Terms, the nice Criticifms, 
 and multitude of Authors, which are every 
 where cited; becaufe they rendred the ft He 
 rugged and unpleafant, andalfo unintelligi* 
 
 Ik 
 
To the Reader.' 
 
 lie to mofl Readers. But lecaufe the 
 Authority of this E-jfay does in a great 
 measure depend on them, I thought it ne- 
 ce[]ary to jet them down ( by way oj Anno*, 
 tations) at the end of every Chapter \vhert 
 they occur, that thofe who are able to judge, 
 may fee that nothing is afferted in the Ef* 
 fay without good grounds and warrant* The 
 fame I have likewife done with bare Quo* 
 tations of Scripture, when many of them 
 happen together. 
 
 I defegnd at firjl to have printed all the 
 Effay together ^ hut fome things have hap* 
 pen df nee which did oblige me to print only a 
 part of it now, refolving to publifh the reji 
 hereafter, ij this fhould meet with that en- 
 couragement which fome very good judges 
 tUnk it defer ves. 
 
 The daily complaints of Commentators 
 and Preachers againjl the prefent Tranfla- 
 tions y with fever al other things I could 
 mention, do (hew, that there is an indif< 
 pen fable NtceJ/ity of revijing and correcting 
 them. 
 
 r And 
 
t \JL0 the Reader: 
 
 r Andthh Confederation alone isfufficient to 
 juflifie the Etfay Projefl, in oppofition to 
 the Exceptions offcrupulous, ignorant, and 
 prejudiced Men, who I lelieve are the 
 only Perfons that mil be heartily againft 
 it. 
 
 A 
 
 
[I j 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 T))at it requires great Study and pains^ 
 to gfVe an exatl Tranjlation of the 
 Bible. 
 
 JT cannot be deny'd without the high- 
 eft ingratitude, that one of the grea- 
 tcft favours God could have conferr'd 
 on Men, in a State of Mifery and Igno- 
 rance, was, to inform them of their Du- 
 ty, and to teach them the means of be- 
 coming Happy ; by giving them inftruc- 
 tions wherein they might dilcover the 
 love he bears them, and thdfe things he 
 requires at their hands, in order to puc 
 them in pofleffion of that Happinefs 
 which he defign d them for. Arid there- 
 fore there is nothing more worthy of a 
 Reafonable Man, especially of a Chrifti- 
 an, then to apply himfelf to the under- 
 ftanding of thole things which are revcal'd 
 the Holy Soriptures, fincc they have 
 been writ for this very end. To be care- 
 lefs or negligent in a matter of fuch 
 high concern, is criminal, and cannot but 
 B be 
 
[ o 
 
 be lookt upon, as an undoubted mark 
 of Irreligion and Profanenefs. 
 
 But ytt it muft be confeft that this 
 Study has its Difficulties ; for tho' this 
 Age has had the happinefs to produce 
 Men of extraordinary Learning, who 
 have undoubtedly explain'd feveral hard 
 Texts better than has been done fince 
 the Apoftles times, yet, thefe Sacred O- 
 racles having been Writ in Languages 
 which are now almoft out of ufe, and 
 there being but few Writings of the 
 fame Stile, it's certain that there is dill a 
 confiderable Application requir'd to find 
 out their fenfe and meaning in feveral 
 places. 
 
 Hence 'tis that the Interpreters of the 
 Scriptures have follow'd Methods 'pret- 
 ty °ppofite one to another. Some have 
 thought that we are to be fo fcrupulous, 
 as to render all the Terms and Phrafes 
 therof Word for Word ; without any 
 regard to the Obfcurity which this muft 
 Dcut.4.a. neceflarily occafion ; and that by doing 
 j^ 11 ^ 1 ' other wife , we corrupt, the Text, 
 1 1. 19. and expoft our fel ves to the Curfes threat^ 
 ned by Mofes and isu John, againft thofe 
 that ihould add any thing to the Words 
 of the Law and the Book of the Revela- 
 tion, or takeaway any thing from them. 
 
 others 
 
[ 3 I 
 
 Others feeing that this Method could 
 never give a true Translation, and that, 
 at beft, it were but to (peak Hebrew, 
 Greek y Syriack and Arahick, in other 
 Terms, have Judg'd, and not without 
 rcaibn, that, fince the defign of a Verfi- 
 on, is to let us know the true fenfeand 
 Meaning of the Original, a Tranflator 
 of the Scriptures ought to take a greater 
 Liberty ; and that his principal care 
 Ihould be to exprefs the thought of 
 the Sacred Writers, without making ufe 
 of words and ways of fpeaking, which 
 would be barbarous and unintelligible 
 in the Languages into which he Tran- 
 flates ,• They not always having Words 
 and Phrafes exactly anfwering co thole 
 of the Original. 
 
 I. St. Attjtin wasofOpinion, that it was E , %% 
 unlawful to Tranfiate the Words Hallelu- 
 jah, and Amen, into any Language, and 
 highly reproached Pajcentiusnw Arid)/, for 
 having dar'd to Tranflace them. But his 
 Judgment did not hinder our Tranilators 
 from rendnng the former, Fra/Je the Lord, ( i J 
 after the Example of icvcral Fathers, who 
 were not ib icrupulous as St. Aufti*. 
 The Jews do give the Title of Hallelujah 
 to fome particular rjalms, and in this 
 Sente they always take that Word, whe.i 
 13 x they 
 
[4.1 
 Tob. is. they Speak of Singing Hallelujah. And 
 
 ft evip , this too feems to be the meaning of it in 
 34-6. the Books of Tobit, and the Revelation ; 
 in both which our Tranflation keeps the 
 Hebrew Word. 
 
 II. It looks indeed like Ignorance, or 
 Affe&ation in Tranflators,to have left le- 
 veral other Hebrew Words in a verfion de- 
 fign'd for the ufe ofrhe People ; nor can[any 
 reafon be given why they ihould have 
 done io in iome places, whereas they have 
 Tranflated them in others. Why, for ex- 
 ample,(hould the Geneva Verfion ha? eren- 
 Luke 1 6. der'd the Word Mammon by that of Riches 
 Mate. 6. * n $i* Luke, when it left it unexplain d in 
 *4- St. Matthew, as ours has done in both. 
 And why ihould our Verfion, as well as 
 that of Geneva, keep the Hebrew Word 
 Hofanna in the New Teftam&nt, fince 
 they render it in the 0;d Tcftament, pitf 
 tCnB.2s.* cw I bejeech thee. The plain meaning 
 of Mammon, is Riches; of Rakah i Curfed 
 Wretch; of Belial, one that wont be Sub* 
 jetl to any Law y and fo they fhould be 
 Tranflated too, if we would have the 
 People to underfland them. The lame 
 may be laid of the Words, Amen, Rabbi, 
 Rabboni, Abba i &c. the, meaning of all 
 which is well known to the Learn'd, and 
 ihould be fo render'd in a Tranflation, that 
 
 they 
 
[ 5 } 
 
 they may be undcrftood by the uniearn'd 
 alia 
 
 III. The Geneva Verfion might with 
 as much reatbn have tranferib'd all the 
 Hebrew words of the Old Teftament, £ cvIt l6 ' 
 without explaining them , as it has 
 done the word HazazeL The Samaritan 
 Verfion,and Caldee Paraphrale, being de- 
 fign'd for the Synagogue, might well 
 keep k, as they have done feveral other 
 Hebrew words, fmce they were very 
 well underftood by the Jews : But in 
 one of our Wefterh Verfions this word 
 can fignifie nothing. It's true that Cri- 
 ticks differ about the Origin of it, 
 and our Tranflators feem to have been 
 fbmewhat in doubt as to its fignificati- 
 on, fince they have mark't it upon the 
 margin. But from all that the Learned 
 fay of it, it plainly appears that it fig- 
 nifies a th/n% jar remov d or feparated 
 from another, which agrees very well to 
 the Goat here mentiond , becauic it was 
 to be fent into the Wilderncfs^ +o a Land ^ t 
 not inhabited 9 or to a Land oj Separation ; ai. a2 . ■ 
 and therefore our TranflatGrs have very 
 well render'd it a Scape-Goat, and fome ( 3 ) 
 others the Goat fent out, or the Goat fent 
 to the DefarU 
 
 B 3 IV, It's 
 
IV. It's true there are fome Readers 
 and Writers too, who think nothing well 
 - faid that's eafily underftood, and to 
 . whom things appear great and admirable, 
 only proportionably to their Obfcuriy 
 and confufion ; as it happens commonly 
 to every thing that's feen in Darknefs 
 and Night, which feems to be more 
 great and confiderable than indeed it is. 
 But fince the defign of Speech is to ex- 
 prefsthe fentimentsof our mind, itmuft 
 be highly injurious to the Sacred Wri- 
 ters, efpecially thofe of the New Tefta- 
 ment, who have unfolded the Myfteries 
 and Difficulties of the Law and Pro- 
 phets, to imagine that they have affected 
 an Oblcure and Dark way of Speaking ; 
 They who were the Light of the V/orlcl^ 
 and were exptefly fent by God , to de- 
 clare his Will fully and clearly to the 
 Sons of Men. Whoever therefore is 
 more in love with an Obfcure and Bar- 
 barous Verfion , than with one that 
 plainly renders the meaning of the Sa- 
 jEUttn in cre( ^ Oracles, muft have as falfe and ill— 
 Hainan, contriv'd a Judgment , as that Emperor, 
 who admired the Gbfcurities otAntima- 
 chus, and prefer'd Qato to Cicero^ Cecili- 
 us to Saluft and Enn'ius to Virgil. 
 
 Anno* 
 
[ 7 J 
 
 Annotations on Chap. I, 
 
 Jufl/n Mart. g. lo.ad Or t hod. The- (O 
 doret. ad PJalm, i 10. iz. Hieronim, Ep. 
 137. do render Hallelujah praife God. And 
 the Jews when they fpeak of Singing 
 Hallelujah underftand by it the 1 1 3, 11 4, 
 115", 116, 117, and 118 Pfalms. Fid. 
 Talmud. Trail Pefack /. 117, 18. Mai- 
 mon : AbarbaneL 
 
 The Etymology which Kinky, Voma- ( 1 ) 
 riiu and Aquinas have given this word, is 
 uncertain, and contrary to the Rules of 
 Grammar ,• making it a compound of 
 Aaz, a Goat, and Azel, put back ; becaufe 
 the one is of the Feminine Gender, and 
 the other of the Mafculine. But 'tis 
 certain that the Verb Azal fignifies to 
 put back or to remove, and that 'tis ufual 
 with the Hebrews to double the firft Syl- 
 lable of their Nouns to denote the Super- 
 lative. The learned Bochart is of opini- 
 on, that the word Hazazel, is the fame 
 with the Arabick word Azazil, which 
 fignifies feparated or removed ; And o- 
 thers in fine think that the Goat w r as fo 
 called, from a Mountain of that name 
 near Sinai, whither it was to be fent. 
 
 A3 
 
(3 ) 3- As the Scptuagint, Symmachu^ A- 
 quila, and the Vulgar Latine. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 That the threatnings of Mofes and St. 
 John 5 make nothing f$r a literal 
 Verfion. 
 
 THofe who ftand up pa/fionately for 
 a Tranflation, which they call purer 
 ly literal, i.e. which renders the Original 
 Text Verbatim , ground their opinion 
 pn the words of Mojes and St. John men T 
 tion d in the preceeding Chapter : But 
 at once reading we may plainly fee that, 
 at moft, they are only to be underftood 
 of the Copies of the Law and Revela- 
 tion, that might be tranferib'd in their 
 Original Languages, in which indeed 
 no change or alteration cpuld be made 
 without the guilt of Forgery ; which is 
 look't upon as Crime in Ads of the leaft 
 importance, and confequently muft be 
 Hainous £nd Sacrilegious with refpe<3: 
 to the Sacred Writings. But certainly 
 
 thofe 
 
[9] 
 
 riiofewho only reduce the cxprcfiions 
 of the Original; to ways of Speaking 
 that are common and intelligible in the 
 Languages into which they Tranflate 
 them, can t, with the lead Shadow of 
 Reafon, be accus'd of this ; otherwifc 
 we muft never be allow'd to make an 
 Author fpeak in any other Language 
 than that in which he firft writ. 
 
 The LXX. Irenceus, Eufebius, St. fe~ 
 rom> Rufitus y Valence of Antioch and JuJ- 
 tiniattj have conjur'd thofe that fhould 
 copy their Writings, to make no altera- 
 tion in them ; and yetlfuppofe that thofe 
 who are for flicking fo clofe to the Let- 
 ter don't imagine, that thofe Writers, 
 fo famous for Learning and Judgment, 
 were guilty of fuch fillinefs as to defire, 
 that a Tranflator fhould ufe the fame con- 
 ftru<5Hon and turn in his Language , 
 which they did in theirs ; and truly had 
 this been their raeaning no man of Senfe 
 could much value or regard it. 
 
 I. But left fomc lovers of Religion 
 fhould ftill be fo fcrupulous as to think, 
 that thofe words of Mofes and St. John 
 arc not only to be underflood of the 
 Copies, but likawifeof the Tranflations 
 of thofe Books, They are intreated to 
 lake notice, thar their Scruple is occafi- 
 
 oned 
 
[ io] 
 oned by the too literal Tranflation of 
 thole places of Scripture, founded on 
 fo me foolifli Rabbinical Fancies, quite 
 oppofite to. the defign and meaning of 
 the Sacred Writers. Thofe who are ac- 
 quainted with the Stile of the Original 
 of the Old Teftament, which the New 
 has imitated in a great many places, and 
 particularly in this, know, that to add to 
 the Commandments of God , or to take a* 
 tty thing from them, fignifies to Violate 
 them, by doing fomething they Forbid, 
 or omitting fomething they Command 
 to be done, as Fagius and Grotius have 
 obferv'd. This appears plainly from the 
 words that immediately follow this Pro- 
 D$ut. 4. *-hibition of Mofes ; Thou fhalt not add un-. 
 to the Word which I command you, neither 
 fhalt thou diminifh from it j and then he 
 fubjoyns, That ye may keep the command- 
 ments of the Lord your God ; And yet 
 more plainly and fully in annother place, 
 What things foever I command you, obferve 
 to do it, Thou fhalt not add thereto nor 
 diminifh from it, 
 -vi. The Jews themfelves, who are but too 
 J ^ much Wedded to the Letter of the Scrip- 
 ture, do obferve, that this Prohibition 
 is only to be underftood of private per- 
 fons, aud not at all of thofe whom God 
 
 ha4 
 
 12. 32. 
 
[ III 
 
 had appointed to Interpret his Will ; and 
 that the fame Grace and Spirit of Pro- 
 phecy, which was given to the Prophets 
 and Judges in Mojes's days, was promi- 
 fed to them that fucceeded him, and 
 that therefore they not only had Pow- 
 er to Intepret the Law, but alfo to make 
 new Statutes and Ordinances, as ex- 
 perience has likewife Juftified , fince 
 Jofhua has added to thole of Mofes, the 
 Prophets to both, and Jefus Chr'ijl to all. 
 
 II. Thefe Texts then make nothing 
 for fuch a Tranflation as thofe Gentle- 
 men would be at ; wherein the words 
 fhould be fet in the fame Order they are 
 in in the Original , nor indeed is it 
 poffible that the God of Order fliould 
 Command a thing which could produce 
 nothing but Obfcurity, Confufion and 
 Nonfence. 
 
 But why fliould we be more fcrupulous 
 in this matter, than the Prophets and A- 
 poftles, and Jefus Chr/Jt himfelf, who in 
 citing the Writings of Motes dofeldomorDcut.^13. 
 never exprefs his very Words, thinking 
 it fufficient to give the true fenfe and 
 meaning of them. Thus Mofes Com- 
 mands tofervc the Lord, but our Savi- 
 our makes no Scruple to add the Word 
 only, which is likewife to be extended to 
 
[ ix] 
 the Precept of Worfhiping him as the 
 Devil tiimfelf did acknowledge. Nay, it 
 is fometimes abfolutely neceflary for ma- 
 king up a compleat Senfe, to fupply 
 lbme Words which have gone before, or 
 follow after. As when our Saviour fays, 
 Be not angry with thy Brother without a 
 
 Ak t caufii an d afterwards forbids to call him 
 s ' 21 'Curfed Wretch or Rakah, i. e. to give him 
 ill,or reproachful names,it is plain thac we 
 are to add, without a caufe. For our Sa- 
 viour himfelf, whofe life was a comment 
 upon his Dodtrine, was often angry, and 
 treated the pharifees and Saducees more 
 than once with the worft of names, cal- 
 ling them blind, fools, whited Sepulchres, 
 Hypocrits, and Children oj the Devil. 
 
 i Tim. a; fa- The Apoftle to Timothy fays, that 
 M' Adam was not deceived, but the Woman. 
 Interpreters, to reconcile this with the 
 ftory of the Fall, fay, that Adam was 
 not deceiv'd by the Serpent but Eve; or 
 that the Apoftle fays, that J dam was 
 not deceiv'd, b^caufe the Scripture makes 
 no mention of it : As the Rabbis were 
 Wont to fay, that Jacob did not dye, be- 
 caufe the Scripture, in fpeaking of his 
 departure out of this Life, does not 
 make ufe of the Word Dying, but of that 
 
 U b , of expiring^ or giving up the Ghoft. And 
 
 In 
 
as others think the Author to the He- 
 brews has faid, that Melchizedeck had nei- 
 ther Father nor Mother nor Defcent, neither 
 beginning of Days nor end of Life, becaufe 
 Mofes and the Prophet make no mention 
 of them. But not to infift on thole foo- 
 liih Rabbinical Whymfies, we need but 
 lupply the Word firjf, which we find in 
 the preceeding Verle, and all the diffi- g • jot/ 
 culty will preibntly difappear, as Drufius 
 has obierv'd. The Apoftle then plainly 
 affirms, That Adam was not firfl: deceivd, 
 but the Woman. 
 
 IV. Sometimes we mull bring back a 
 Word, which is expreft in the end of a 
 Vcrfe or Sentence, and repeat it in the 
 beginning. Thus we Tranflatc the Words 
 of Solomon, A wife Son hearcth his /^i- p^or • , ^ , 
 thers TnftruElion, but a Scorner heareth not 
 Rebuke. And thole of the Prophet Ma- M " 119 ' 
 /achy, Who is there even among you that 
 would /but the Doors for nought ? Neither 
 do ye kindle fire on my Altar for nought \ 
 where the words heareth, and for nought, 
 arc neceflarily fupply'd in the beginning 
 of thefe Texts, as our Tranflators have 
 done, and put them in different Cha- 
 racters, to (hew they arc not in the Ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 V. Wc 
 
[ M] 
 
 ' V. We find in all Languages, a great 
 many ways of fpeaking, wherin fome 
 Words are fuppreft, which caufes no diffi- 
 culty in the Original, but cannot be 
 Tranflated into other Languages, unlefs 
 thofe Words are made up, without quite 
 fcfctti*. marring the Senfe. The Apoftles in St* 
 io. Matthew, are forbid to provide Shooes for 
 their Journey , but we muft neceflarily 
 Tranflate two pair of Shooes, as in the be- 
 ginning of the Verfe they are forbid to 
 have two Coats, for we find in St. Mark, 
 9 at * that they were allowed to be Shod. 
 
 VI. Befides it often happens, that an 
 intire propofition muft be fupply'd to 
 make up a compleat Senfe, as Glafftus, 
 Hipper ius, and others have obferv'd; 
 Thus fome think that to compleat the 
 Senfe of Rom. 5. 12. thefe Words muft be 
 immediately Subjoined, So aljo by one 
 Man, Righteousnefs was brought into the 
 Worlds and Life eternal by Righteousnefs ; 
 of which all are made partakers, providing 
 they fincerely believe i# Jefus Chrift. The 
 beginning of the 16 Verfe muft alfo be 
 fupplycd, thus, the Gift is not as the 
 Death, which came by one that Sinned. 
 
 VII. A like fupplement Origin thinks, 
 Ihould be added after, Rom. 9. 23. thus, 
 Can thofe VeffeU fitted for Definition fay, 
 
 Go£ 
 
( 15 1 
 
 Cod has doneunjujlly by them i The Apoftlc 
 to the Galatians fays, Brethren you have 
 been called to Liberty, only ufe not this Li- 
 berty jor an occafion to the Flejh ; And the 
 Pfalmijl, ye Sons of Men how long will you 
 turn my Glory into Shame? where the 
 Words ufe and turn are not in the Origi- 
 nal, but areneceflarily fupplyed to make 
 up the Senfe. And there is no Verfion 
 but makes iiich Supplements, when there 
 is but a Word or two to be added, to per- 
 fed: the meaning of the Sacred Writers, 
 without being afraid in the lead of the 
 Curies threatned againft thofe who add 
 to Gods Word. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 That the Original is often fo Figurative , 
 that a Translator is jorcd^ in many 
 places^ only to render the Senfe and 
 meaning of it. 
 
 THe learned are leis apt to be deceiv'd, 
 than the People, when they meet 
 with improper and figurative expreflions. 
 They know there is fometimes a Tran- 
 
 fpofi tion 
 
[i6] 
 
 fpofition of Terms that muft be replaced 
 in their natural order ; that there are 
 Faults in fome Copies which muft be 
 fce&ify'd ; That there are various read- 
 ings, fome of which, for feveral Reafons, 
 are to be preferr'd to others ; That the 
 different pointing of the fame Hebrew 
 word gives it quite different Senfes ; That 
 there are fome proportions which feeni 
 Negative, which are to be taken Interro- 
 gatively and affirmatively ; That there 
 are fome allufions to Ufes and Cuftoms, 
 Which explain the difficulties ; That there 
 is a literal Scnfe and a figurative that muft: 
 not be confounded ; That there are Ge- 
 neral Exprcffions that muft be underftood 
 with refpcd: to the particular Suhjed: to 
 which they are apply'd ; That the Scrip- 
 ture frequently accommodates itfelf to 
 the current Opinions about natural things, 
 without approving ©r confirming them ; 
 That there are Parenehefcs that darken 
 the Senfe, unlefs they are more diftinftly 
 mark'd, than they commonly are in moft 
 Tranflattons ; that there ate ways of fpeak- 
 ing of former times, of the Jewijh Na- 
 tion, and of the Eaftern Countries, that 
 muft be adjufted to our Idea's ; That the 
 different circumftances of the Subjed:, 
 the Connexion with what goes before 
 
 and 
 
f *7 ] 
 
 after, and chcdefignof the Author, mull 
 often Determine the meaning ; That the 
 fignification of a Hebrew Verb quite 
 changes, according to the Conjugation 
 it is in; and feveral other Rules, which 
 are of the greateft Importance in finding 
 out the true Senfe of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. But the People, who are no lels 
 concern d to know the Will of God than 
 the Learn'd, don't underftand many of 
 thofe Rules, and therefore are always in 
 danger of being deceiv'd, as long as rhc 
 Tranflations continue as they now 
 are. 
 
 I. It is true, there are few or none now 
 a days fo Grofs, as to imagine that God 
 has a Body; tho* the Scripture attributes 
 Eyes, Hands, Ea«rs, Feet, Bowels, fife, 
 to him. The Jews efpecially could not 
 be miftaken in this Point, after the fre- 
 quent Advcrtifements God had given 
 them, of his being Immaterial, Spiritu- 
 al and Invifiblc. But yet fince the Peo- 
 ple are ready to receive wrong Notions 
 by thofe figurative Expreiiion?, andfincc 
 our Language has Words in abundance 
 to Exprefs them 111 a proper Senfe, it 
 feems more reafonable that they fhould 
 be redue'd to their Natural Senfe, than 
 left in a Tranflation, and that when tho 
 
 C On* 
 
[ iS ] 
 
 Original Speaks of God's Hand, it 
 fhould be Tranflated God's Power; His 
 Eyes, his Care, and Providence ; his 
 Mouth, his Order or Commandments ; 
 his Bowels, his nioft tender Ccmpal- 
 fions, &c 
 
 II. There are indeed fome occafions, 
 in whic l i iome of thele Words cannot he 
 kept without altering the meaning of 
 the Text. The Hebrews, for Example, 
 expreis the Words, Face and Anger by 
 Fanm. one Word. But a Translation cant keep 
 the Word Face, where the Original de- 
 figns Anger ■, without corrupting of the 
 Place, and quite Marring the Senfe. 
 And therefore the Geneva Traaflation and 
 Pifcator had reafonto render what is faid 
 i&w.i. f Hannah, in the Hebrew, that her 
 Countenance was no wore, by thele Words, 
 And her Indignation continued no more : 
 which our Verfion has Tranflated, And 
 her Countenance was no more Sad ; by fup- 
 plying the Word Sad, which is not in 
 the Original. But this in my Opinion, 
 is a little forc'd, and the other fcems 
 more eafy and natural. Our Tranflators 
 have render'd the Hebrew Word, by that 
 of Anger in other places, as well as thofe 
 of Geneva. As Pfalm. zi y.Thoufoalt 
 make them as a fiery Oven, in the day of 
 
 thine 
 
t r 9 ] 
 
 thine Anger ; and Jcr. 3. n. whore Go J 
 promiies that he will not qaake his An- 
 get to jail on his People. But m other 
 places, they have rendcr'd it by the Words 
 Face, Countenance, Prefence, where the 
 £enfc manifeftly requires that it fliould 
 be Tranflated by the Word, Anger, As 
 Levit. 20. 6. The Geneva Vcrfion hath, 
 / will Jet my F&ce again/l them that confult 
 Veviners ; where our Vcrfion has cxpreft 
 it; I mil jet my Anytr^ &c. And thus 
 it Jhould have rendcr'd ic too. FJ. 9. 3. 
 Mine Enemies (ball perijh by thy Angcr\ 
 and not at thy Prcjence. PI". 34. 16. 
 The Anger (not the Face only ) Of the 
 Lord is againjl them that do Evil. Ps> 
 51. 9. Turn away thine Anger jrem my 
 Sin. And z.Tkds. I. 9. who fi all be pit- 
 nijhed with everla/ring Deftrmlicn^ jrem 
 the Anger (wot Prcier.ce oaly j of the Lord 
 and from the Glory of his Poivcr. In ali 
 thole places Anger is evidently under- 
 ftood, and lb the Chalice, Par aphrafe and 
 the Syr />:ch and zV cr/icns have fre- 
 
 quently rendcr'd it. 
 
 III. The Scripture alio fomctirnes ey- 
 prcfTcs Anger, by a Word which ilgnifies 
 the Breath of the K>jiri!$; becaufc thole 
 that arc angry, do commonly diicovci 
 thc;r Paflion \n this manner, Due fmce 
 
 khii 
 
[lo] 
 
 this Metaphor is not us'd in our Latfi^ 
 guage, it can't be left in a Tranflation de- 
 figrfd for the People, without giving 
 them notions different from thofe of the 
 Original. And therefore our Tranflators, 
 and thofe of Geneva, have very well ex- 
 prefl it, by the Word Anger, Deut. 29. 
 20. But there #an be no realbn given, 
 why they fhould not have Tranflated it 
 io in other places, where it certainly fig- 
 nifies the fame thing: As Exodus 15. 8. 
 Pf. 18. 15. Jo£, 4 9. in the laft of which 
 places, our Tranflators have expreft it 
 by Anger en the Margin, tho* they have 
 put ttieblaft of the Nojtrih in the Body of 
 the Text. 
 
 IV. The Eaftern Countries, whole 
 Stile the facred Writers, do frequently 
 imitate, were wont to exprefs every 
 thing they would fay, in bigg and fwel- 
 ling Terms, which feem to contain a pe- 
 culiar Force and Emphafis when render' d 
 Word by Word in our Weftern Tongues. 
 But thofe who are acquainted with the 
 Language of the Levant, do difcover no 
 fnch ftrength and Energy in them, be- 
 caufe they knew the Ideas, which the 
 Eaftern Countries do annex to thole pom- 
 pous expreflions. When they fpeak of 
 the taking of a Town, or of fome extra- 
 ordinary 
 
[ xi ] 
 ordinary Calamity, they fay that the 
 Earth Trembles; that the Stars fall from 
 Heaven ; that the Sun is Darkned and 
 the Moon gives no light, in a Word, that 
 the courie of Nature is wholly alter'd. 
 Thofe and feveral other expreffions of the 
 fame nature, arc to be found in the Pro- 
 phet I/aiah, who defcribes the Ruin of 
 Babilon, after the mod frightfnl manner 
 imaginable; as if it fhouldbc raz'd to the in , ? . 
 Ground, and all its Inhabitants Mafia- 6, &c - 
 cred by the Medes ; and as if its Ruin 
 was to be attended with the intire De- 
 ftrudtion of Heaven and Earth. He ufes 
 almoft the fame Threatnings againft the tt 34- 
 Edomits, and ^ff/ againft the Jews. Butj oe j 2# 
 wc muft not take them literally, for they ra. 
 were never accomplifht in the full extent 
 of their natural fignification. It feems 
 therefore fufficient, for ExpreflLng the 
 meaning of the Prophets in thole places, 
 to fay, that fearful Calamities fbould come 
 upon the King of Babilon, the Edorrnts 
 and the ]c\\s; and that they fhould fall 
 into the Hands of their Enemies, who 
 would have no CompalTion on them • 
 For tkis is all that the Eaftern Nations, 
 the Greeks, Latins, and the Arabians e- 
 Ten at this day, do mean by thole high 
 and lofty Expreffions. Plato, Homer, 
 C 3 and 
 
t « J 
 
 and Attcius in Cicero, defcnbing the Ca- 
 lamities of their time, fay, that they 
 believ'd, there was no more Sun in the 
 World, and the Arabians yet, when they 
 
 ( * ) Speak of a confiderable Misfortune be- 
 fall'n a Man, fay, that bis Heaven is fal- 
 len to the Earth, or turn d to Earth : As 
 may be ken \n Mairncn, Qiotius and 
 others. The fame Exprefiions are found 
 alio in feverai other places of Scripture. 
 From thole Exernples it plainly appears, 
 
 * 2 that we cannot Tranflate the Ways of 
 Speaking, borrow'dby the Sacred Wri- 
 ters from the Eaftern Nations, Word for 
 W 7 ord, without raifing in the Readers 
 Head, different notions from what the 
 Textdefigns. 
 
 Moreh. * But ^ ere * C ma Y n0t ^ e am ^ s to f et 
 
 Ncvoch. 4 down the Reafon given by Maimon, for 
 4 thofe big ways of Speaking us'd by the 
 4 Prophets. As ifaiah (lays he) Speaks 
 4 ing of fuch as have been Conquered, 
 ' fays, That rheir Sun and Moon-have loft 
 1 their Light and are chang'd into Dark- 
 4 nefs, fo he fays alfo of the Conquerors^ 
 4 that their Sun and Moon ificreaie their 
 c Light : For experience, proves that the 
 6 Eyes of a Man in great Mifery grow 
 4 dim, and don't fee the Light inirs full 
 \ Splendor; becauie the Opuck Nerves' 
 
 ■■■»■' are 
 
 P. 2. C. 
 
 i 9 
 
[ *3 J 
 
 rc weakncd and opprclt by his want of 
 • irits, and the multitude of Vapours 
 'thacariic to the Head, by reafaii of his 
 ' grief and anguiili of Spirit. Upon the 
 * contrary when by Joy the Soul is in- 
 1 largd, and the animal Spirits are con- 
 ■ vcyed in abundance to the Organs of 
 c feeing, the Sun and Light appear grca- 
 ' terand brighter than they did before. __, 
 
 Lis according to this principle that p t 3 
 Kimki% AbarbaneL^nd Lifman do explain, 
 Ijaiah 30.26, Moreover tie Light of the 
 Moon Jhall be as the Light of the Suu % and 
 the Light of the San (hall he feven (old as 
 the Light of Seven da)s y in the day that the 
 Lord bindeth up the breach of his People, 
 
 ■ healeth the Jlrcke of their Wound. 
 Which Words they take to be a parabo- 
 lical Prophecy of the Profperity of tfae Eft . 
 Javs y under the Reign of f/ezet/ah; 17. *'* 
 Light representing Profperity, and a- Ifa - 6o - 
 bundancc; as Darkncfs docs adverfity j^ e j 2 
 and want. 20. 
 
 V. I/aiah Speaks alfo of a New II 
 ven. and a New Earth, winch has made 
 a great many break their Heads, to find J?'!*" 
 out the manner how the World Jhall be ij.6c 
 dcltroy'd and rcnew'd. The mod of In- 22 > 
 tcrpreters do undcrfland of the New Hca- 
 \ «, of the Happinefs of the lilcfled afcei 
 C 4 De 
 
[ Mi 
 ( 3 ) Death. But Junius, Hakspan, Calixtus, 
 Wagenzecl, &c. after Maimon and Lip- 
 man, have obferv'd, that 'tis ufual with 
 this Prophet to mark the great Events 
 that happen in the World, by fuch Ways 
 of Speaking; and particularly fuch as 
 concern the Church ; and that to Create 
 a New Heaven, in the Stile of the Jews, 
 is to efcablifh a New Kingdom. This 
 Exprefiion therefore fignifies only, the 
 Ruin of the Enemies of God's People, and 
 the re-Eftablifhment of the Ifraelites, and 
 efpecialiy of the Church, in abetter Con- 
 dition. And in this Senfe too, 'tis to be ta- 
 3. Pet. 2. k en in Sl p erert anc j st. John. Thus 
 
 }l?2i. i. then it feems it fliould beTranflated, or 
 the Ambiguity might be remov'd by in- 
 ferring the Particle, as, which the Tran- 
 slators have not fcrupled to do in other 
 places. 
 MicWoi VI. The Jews obferve farther,that when 
 Joph*s. the Scripture fpeaks of the laft days, it 
 is to be underftood of the days of the 
 Meffias : And thus it icems this Ex- 
 pre/Iion fliould be rendered, Aits z. 17. 
 1. Tim. 4. I. Hek 1. %. &c, 
 
 VII. Wc muft likewife have rccourfe 
 to the Ways of Speaking amongft the 
 Jews, to underftand, that faying of 
 out Saviour, that one Jot or Title fhaB-mt 
 
 pafs 
 
[•'Hi 
 
 pafsfrom the Law, &c. For 'tis certain that ( 4 ) 
 fcvcral Letters, and fomc whole Words 
 of the Old Teftament, have been loft 
 by the negligence of Tranfcribers. 
 
 It muft therefore be granted, that our 
 Saviour meant no more by this Exprct- 
 fion, than that he was fo far from de- 
 figning to abolifh the Law, as the Jews 
 falfely accus'd him, that on the con- 
 trary, he preft the obfervation of it 
 more ftridtly, than the fevereft Do&ours 
 of the Jews ; who have made no lcruple 
 to fay, that a letter fhould rather be tUtttJjdmai. 
 out of the Law than that Gods name fhould M*ttt<:h. 
 be prophaned, or as they fay a little af-i c 3 a .f.^ 
 ter, That one may, nay fhould, take a Pl - 
 letter from the Law (that is, violate one 
 of its preceps) if it tend to the publick 
 ian&ifying of God's name. Their mean- 
 ing is, that the Law fhould give place 
 to the Law i. e. m their Stile, That 
 the Commandments which immediate- 
 ly regard God, fhould have the pre- 
 ference of thofe which regard our 
 Neighbours, or our felves ; which they 
 alfo exprefs thus, that the fecond Ta- 
 ble jhould yield to the Firft. This may c .. 
 be feen cxplaind at large, by ManaJJeh p. ^"*' 
 Ben Ifrael. 
 
 The 
 
[ i«] 
 
 The Jews are fo far from imagining 
 
 that there is no alteration happened in 
 
 the letters of the Sacred Text, That the 
 
 Talmud ifls acknowledge XII different 
 
 C.6,7. Readings, and the Author of Sopherim 
 
 Pre f t 3 , almoft xoo. Ellas Levita has counted 
 
 Comm. 148. Buxtorf has remarkt 1014 with- 
 
 Mas.c.13. out reccing t h f c f Daniel, which 
 
 are often repeated in Ezekiel. Father Mo- 
 rinus has ohferved 1 200 in the great Bi- 
 ble at Venice, and the Mazorets, befides 
 the foremention'd, have remarked more 
 than 200 differences betwixt the MJf. of 
 the Eaftcrn and Weftern Jews, tho' they 
 have not put them on the Margin of 
 their Bibles, as they have done their* 
 other Scrupulous obfervations. And there 
 are at this Day more than 200 places 
 wherein the Bibles of the Eaftern and 
 Weftern Jews do differ ; yet they don't 
 accufe one another of corrupting the 
 Text : And the Bibles of the Spanijh 
 Jews are more corred than thofe of the 
 German Jews, and yet the former don't 
 reproach the latter on this Account ; 
 becaufe they fuppofe it has happen'd 
 by the fault of Tranfcribers , rather 
 than by any Malice or Defign in 
 $hem. 
 
 But 
 
[ ^7 ] 
 
 But however that be, the Jews when 
 they ufe this cxpreflion, That one JoA 
 cant It blotted out of the Law ; they are 
 not lb grofs or fuperilitious, as to think 
 that 'tis lmpoilible to blot that Letter 
 out of the Law ; for they muft and do ( 5 ) 
 confefs that this has actually happen d. 
 They only mark by this way of ipeak- 
 ing, the exadt obedience that is to be gi- 
 ven to the Law. And this is fufficient 
 to let us fee in what Scnle it has been 
 ufed by our Saviour, and how Juftly he 
 applyes it to the defign of his Miniftry, 
 which tended much more to enjoyn O- 
 bedience to the Divine Law, than the 
 precepts of the Strideft Dodlours of the 
 Jews. 
 
 VIII. Chrift Reprcfents the Queen A/ „ r I2J 
 of the South coming from the uttermofl^. 
 flirts of the Earthy to hear the Wifdom of 
 Solomon. But the Situation of Sheia in 
 Aral'ta, whence that Queen camc,will not 
 allow us to take thole Words in the 
 Stridinel's of the Letter, and fliews the 
 meaning of them to be, That fke came 
 from a far Country. And it feems thelike re- 
 ftri&ion Ihould be made in thole Words Rom. 10. 
 of St. Paul, Their found went into all 19 ' 
 the Earth, and their Words unto the End 
 of the World ; for it is not very proba- 
 ble 
 
[ 18 ] 
 ble that the Miniftry of the Apoftles 
 Ihould have made the Gofpel known, 
 in an abfolute Senfe over all the Earth. 
 / will cry unto the Lord^ fays the Pfol- 
 *f> V'^mift, from the ends of the Earth, i. e. 
 from places diflant from Jerufalem 
 whither his Enemies had fore'd him to 
 fly. And the fame expreflion is taken in 
 the fame Senfe, in fcveral other pla- 
 ces of Scripture. 
 
 All that a Tranflatbur is oblig'd to do 
 in fuch Cafes, in my Opinion is this. 
 If the figures he meets with in Scrip- 
 ture are ftrange and unknown in the 
 Language into which he Tranflates, 
 he fhould content himfelf with only gi- 
 ving the Senfe of them : But if they 
 are commonly ufed and underftood, he 
 is to {tick as near as po/fible, to the 
 phrafe of the Original. A Tranflatour 
 is likewife oblig'd to ftick to the Ori- 
 ginal as much as poffible, in rendering 
 thofe Texts of Scripture that treat of 
 matters of Fa&, wherein the conduit of 
 God and our Blefled Saviour, are par- 
 ticularly defcrib'd ; becaufe we have not 
 proper Words in our Weftern Tongue, 
 which anfwer precifely to the meaning of 
 thofe of the Original, unlefs we fhould 
 make a Patraphafe in ftead of a Tran- 
 flation. IX. But 
 
[ *9 1 
 
 IX. But there are feveral ways of 
 (peaking befides them already men- 
 tion'd, that muft not be render'd ac- 
 cording to the letter of the Original. 
 Our Tranflation fays, that there is none*'™- *•* 
 Righteous \ no not one. There is none that 
 underltandeth, there is none that feekethrj. f4 . 3 , 
 after God, &c. which the Apoflle /W*3-*- 
 cites out of the Pfalms. But thofe 
 Words give too general a Notion of 
 the corruption of Men, and are contra- 
 ry to the defign of the Spirit of God, if 
 taken in a Stridt univerfality. For Da- 
 vid {peaks in thofe very Pfalms of God's 
 people, and the Scripture gives the 
 Charra&er of Righteous , to feveral 
 in all Ages ; as to Enoch ,Aj a, J oh, David, 
 JoJiah y Zacharial.\ Elizabeth, &c. This ( 7 ) 
 St. Aujlin and feveral Modern Divines 
 do acknowledge; and they obferve further 
 that moft of thofe diforders, do regard 
 the Pagans, and lome particular Jews ; 
 and that all that can reafonably be con- 
 cluded from them is, that in compari- . 
 fon of the wicked, the number of the 
 Righteous w T as in confiderable. The uni- 
 verfality therefore of thefe cxprelfions r ^ ) 
 is to be reftri&ed by inferting the Word 
 almojl, and then the Words will run 
 rims. There isalmoll none that doth good, 
 &c. X. A 
 
[ 30 ] 
 X. A like way of fpeaking, ybu find 
 imploy'd by Mojes of thofe that liv'd be- 
 fore the Flood ; of whom he fays, That 
 Gut. 6. 5. every imagination of the Heart of Man was 
 Evil, and only Evil continually % and that 
 all Flefh had corrupted their ways ; which 
 likewife muft be underftood to admit of 
 a limitation. For befides that Noah had 
 got frofti God himfelf the Character of 
 a Righteous Man, even the worft of men 
 fometimes have good thoughts ; and thofe 
 Checks of Confcience which the moft 
 profligate Sinners feel, Condemning their 
 wicked ways and confefling they delerve 
 fevcre Punifhment, are to be look'd upon 
 as Sentiments pleafing, and acceptable 
 to God. And further thai this is not 
 underftood of all Men in general is clear, 
 becaufe he mentions the Sons of God, or 
 of the Soverains i. e^ the poflerity of 
 Seth according to the heft Interpreters, 
 whom he fets in oppofuion to the Sons 
 of Men i. e. the common fort of Men. 
 So that the Words feem to admit of this 
 Tranflation that the Imaginations of the 
 Hearts of thofe common fort of Men were 
 for the moft part Evil. 
 
 There is no reafon we fliould be more 
 rigid here, than we are when w r e find the 
 like expreffions in other Authors. So- 
 ph oc let 
 
[3i 1 
 phocles fays that there nta no Jujlice in (9 ) 
 the race of men that liv'd in his time. 
 An J Theoi>us that none had any veneration 
 for the immortal Gods, and that the race 
 of pious wen was quite periftid ; tho' in the 
 mean time he exhorts the vertuous to per- 
 ievercin their Venue. Seneca affirms that 
 Virgil had caufe to fay, that Fidelity 
 could no' be fecure any where; and Ovid 
 to aflerc that the jury Erynnis reizn'd over 
 the • ' , and that all men had 
 
 coi :r to commit nothing but 
 
 Villariyj AndAknandcr that all, with- 
 out excepting man or woman, young or 
 old had ailociated themfelves to do mil- 
 chief. Ycu may find the fame defcrip- 
 tici'3 in Ovid and Medcass difcourfes of 
 them that liv'd before the deluge ; and 
 yet in them alio you will find the Elogies 
 of feveral good Men, and Hero's, re- 
 markable for probity and virtue. Such 
 expreffions therefore fliould not be prcft 
 too far, nor made ufe of to prove an 
 ablolutely univerfal corruption, unlcfs 
 we think a Text or two ol this lbrt, 
 ihouldcancellagreat many others which 
 render to good men their juft and de- 
 ferv'd prailc. 
 
 XI. We mud likewife qualifie a lit- 
 tle what the Apoftle fays, that he who 
 
 plants 
 
[ 3*1 
 
 plants and he who waters is nothings that be k 
 nothing without Charity, that he who thinks 
 he is fomething, whereas he is nothing de- 
 ceives himfelj : and what our Saviour fays 
 to his Dilciples, Without me you can do 
 nothing : And all Interpreters grant theit 
 meaning to be, that he that plants and 
 he that waters is nothing in Comparifon of 
 (W, who makes the plants to grow ; that 
 without Charity He Jhould be of no Va- 
 lue in the fight of God, &c. 
 
 XII. Our Tranfladon and feveral ou- 
 tliers make the Apoftie fay That an I- 
 dolis nothing. And the Papifts don't fait 
 to infer from this that they are no Idola- 
 ters, becaufe their Images are, and re- 
 present fomething that's real, whereas 
 the Idols of the Pagans reprefented but 
 bare imaginations that had no exiftence. 
 But neither the Verfions nor inference are 
 Juft. For their Idols were real and vifi- 
 ble,and the mod of them reprefented real 
 and vifible beings, luch as the Sun, Moon 
 and other Creatures which the Pagans 
 had Defied. That expreflion then 
 only fignifyes that an Idol has no Virtue 
 or Power-, and fo it Ihould be ren- 
 dered. 
 
 XIII. All the Tranflations have ren- 
 der'd, Word for Word, the unanimous 
 
 agree* 
 
I 33 ] 
 Agreement which Mojes obferves to have 
 been between thofe who liv'd in N/mrod's 
 days, to build the Tower of Babel, as if 
 they had all fpoke the fame Language, 
 Tho' this Phrafe, to be of oneSpeechfignihcs 
 to be of one Mind orOpinion, as the Gene- 
 vaVcvfiOti and ours render it; JoJhuah.p.z. 
 They fathered themfelves together, to fight 
 with Jofhuah, with one accord. The fame 
 amendment muft be made, i Kings xx. 
 XI. Behold now the Prophets unanimoujly 
 Prophecy fuccejs to the King, and Ifaiah 
 19. 18. In that day five Cities of the 
 Land of ^Egypt, fhall be of one accord, 
 with the Inhabitants of Canaan, and not, 
 fhall (peak the Language of Canaan, as 
 mod Verfions render it. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. III. 
 
 Maimon, Moreh Nevoch. p. x. c.29. Jos. 
 Mede in Apocal. Grot ins ad Mat. 24, 27. 
 29. Hackfpan.Not. ad IJ. 30. 26 and 65. 
 17, Ltghtfoot, &c. Dent. 32. 22. 23. < 2 ' 
 Jerern.4. 23. 24. //."13. 10. and 24. 4.19. 
 xo. 23. and 65*. 17. Alatth. 24. 27. x9- (4 ) 
 x Pet. 3. 10. Revel. 6. 12. 13. 14. Ju- 
 nius ParalL p. 584 Calixtus. Trail, de 
 S*pr. Jud. p. 147. Hackfpan not, ad If. 
 
f 34 1 
 
 Wagenzetl not ad Nhzak. p. 3 . after Mai- 
 mon. and Lipman. See in the Originial. 
 jfog^ 20. 13. x £dw. 16. 23. x A/tfgs 
 x y» 37- Jeram. 31. 38. 
 C y ) Nehem.1z.46. i Samuel. 20. 2. 1 &?w e 
 22. 8. In all thefe places the Letter Jod % 
 is loft, not to mention a great many 
 other Letters that are wanting, or that 
 arc fo ftrangely alter'd, that he muft 
 be thoroughly Wedded to the Whimfies 
 of the Rabbi's that looks for any o- 
 ther Myftery in them, than the Negli- 
 gence of Tranfcribers. There is not 
 one Vowel in the Seventh Chapter of the 
 Numbers from the 19 Verfe, to the' 
 
 8 3 
 
 Pf. 22. 29. 46. 9. 48. 10. Ifa. 41. 9< 
 
 (6) Jer. 16. 19. Acts 1.8. 13. 47. 
 
 (7) Auguft de Civ. D. 1. 16. c. 21. and 
 T. 7. contra Pelag. p. 1039. Luther* 
 Erafmus, Hackfpan, -Glajjius, Ainjworth* 
 &c. 
 
 {%) The Pfalmift himfelf confefles, Pf. 
 116. 12. that 'twas in his haft ( i.e.) 
 when he was touch'd with a Paffionate 
 rtfentment of abounding Wickednefs) 
 that; he laid All Men are Lyars, And 
 \\ evident from all the Apoftles difcourfe 
 Rom. j. 4. &c. that it was not his intenti- 
 on to Pronounce thofe expreffions in an 
 
 ab- 
 
[ JJ ] 
 
 ablblute Scnfc, but only toccach us that 
 God is lb cflcntially trutb y that all Men m 
 Comparifon of him, arc Lyars. See Aim* 
 [worth on Numb. 1 1. j. Gataker adverfi' c. 
 1 8. Hammond in /?0w. 3. A/««, Cajetan, 
 Calvin^ Bucer, Luther, Erafmus, &c. 
 
 Shopocles apud Stob. Serm. 2. 6>*/<fc 
 Queft. Nat. L 4. & */<? ira 1. z. c. 8. /W- 
 Vcr. 5-31. 0x7/7 defenbes the Corrupti- 
 on of thofe that liv'd before the Flood 
 thus 5 
 
 (9 1 
 
 De duro eft ultima ferro 
 
 Trotims erupt vence pejoris in /Evum 
 Qmne nefas, fugere pud or verumq; Jidefq; 
 In quorum fubiere locum, fraudefq; dol/q; 
 Infidiceqfsvii &amorSceleratu$ babendi&i 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the Fate of thofe that have hither- 
 to attempted to bitter the common 
 Tranjlations. 
 
 THe providence of God has, from 
 the very firft Age$ ofChnftianity, 
 raisd up to his Church learned Men, 
 
 D l Who 
 
f3 6 l 
 who have applied themfel ves to cbrred the 
 faults of the Original, and Tranflations 
 of the Holy Bible. Origen became Fa- 
 mous in the Eaft for this kind of Study ; 
 and St. Jerom followed his Example in 
 in the Weft, corre&ing the Latin Bibles, 
 that were then in ufe : and Pope Dama- 
 fus 9 who knew his Learning, engaged 
 him to revife the Latin Verfion of the 
 Gofpels, which was then in a pitiful con- 
 dition. This undertaking ieem'd bold, 
 and above the capacity of a private Per- 
 fon, who could not, without incurring 
 the Envy and hatred of a great many^ 
 take the Freedom to Cenfure Books, 
 Univerfally approved and Receiv'd. 
 
 In effedfc, tho' this work was not only 
 ufeful, butalfoabfolutely neceflary, yet, 
 'twas dangerous to attempt the reforming 
 of Errors, which length of time had in 
 i«f. *»E. a manner authorized. ' Tis a pious la- 
 n>sn.Md € b our> f a y S St. Jerow, but 'tis likewife 
 ' a dangerous prefumption, that he who 
 
 Ihould be Judg'd by every one, lhould 
 f ; take upon him to be every ones Jugde, 
 c to change the Language of the Anci- 
 * ents, and bring back the World, alrea- 
 4 dy grown old, to the firft Leflbns of 
 € Children. For, What perfon; foever, 
 
 1 whither ignprant or knowing , that 
 
 ! takes 
 
[ 17) 
 
 1 takes this Book, and finds it differ from 
 c that which he learn'd, will not inftant- 
 
 * Jy cry out, that I am guilty of Forge- 
 
 * ry, and Sacrilege, in having dared to 
 
 * add to the Sacred Writings, and to 
 ' change and correct them? 
 
 Neverthelcfs, feeing himfelf fupported 
 by a Tope, and being befides perfuaded, 
 that the Latine Verfions, which were 
 then Read in the Weft, were very de- 
 fective , He chofc rather to expofe him- 
 felf to the calumnies of the ignorant mul- 
 titude, and to pafs for an Innovator.' 
 and for a Forger, than to be wanting to 
 his Duty. 
 
 Asthis cnterprife of St.Jerorns was bold, 
 and that he was not only contented to give 
 a new Tranflation of the Bible,but alfo of- 
 ten takes notice of the Faults of theSeptu- 
 agint,feveral oppofed themfeves to his de- 
 fign. St. Auftirt^ who did not approve of a Epijt.*i 
 new Tranflation of the Old Teftament, wen*. 1 * 
 from the Hcbrew,and believ'd that that of' 9 86, 
 the LXX was immediately infpir'd, 
 thought it impoffiblc that St. Jerom fliould 
 have better Succcfs than the Tranflators 
 that went before him; and fignifies to 
 him, how much he was aftonifhed at his 
 undertaking. Nay farthcr,he us'd all his 
 endeavours to take him off irom it, and 
 
 D 3 P ro : 
 
[ 38] 
 prohibited the ufe of his Vcrfion in all 
 his Diocefe, 
 Mvestiv. I Eiifinus went much farther, and ac- 
 cused St. Jerom of having fcandalis'd the 
 whole Church, by attempting to intro- 
 duce 'judaijm into it ; of having intirely 
 changd the Scriptures, and adiing as a 
 Jew and Apoftate in his Tranflation. In 
 fine, the matter went fo far, that St. Je- 
 rom was obliged to foften his Stile, and, 
 after he haa call'd his Cenfurers Dogs 
 and Ajfes, to Write Apologies in defence 
 of fo ufeful and qeceflary an Innova- 
 tion. 
 p.ad Ma- He complains that he fliould have been 
 reiiin.L a.accus'd, for the good fervice he thought 
 •»*# (o h ave rendered to his Country-Men, by 
 endeavouring to encourage them to in- 
 ftrud themfelves in the knowlcge of the 
 Holy Scriptures ; telling them withal, 
 that, even the Greeks^ tho' they had the 
 Verfion of the LXX, made no fcruple to 
 Tranflate his Latin Verfion into their 
 Tongue : And if we may believe Gene- 
 £bi'mj.% lrard y Sophroriius had Tranflated it into 
 Greek. 
 
 He was charg d above all, with en- 
 deavouring to difcredit the Verfion of 
 the LXX, which all Christians had in 
 great Efteem and Veneracion : To which 
 
 he 
 
t 39 ] 
 he often Anfwcrs; than he had no mind Prt f. i ^ 
 CO leilcn 4 its Authority, and that he*? ' 
 4 acknowledg'd it to be divine. lam 
 
 * fore'd, lays lie, in every Book of the 
 
 * Scriptures, to anfwer to the Calumnies 
 1 of my Adversaries, who accufe my 
 
 * Verfion as being a Cenfure of the Sep- 
 ' tuagint. Be it known to my Do?s y that 
 ' I have undertaken this Work for the 
 
 * Inftrudhon of die People, without any 
 c defign of blaming the ancient Verfion. 
 ' And in another place ; This work is 
 f indeed dangerous, and expos'd to the 
 
 * Barkings of my Calumniators, who 
 ' alleage that I bring in my Tranflation, 
 
 * in place of the Antient, with no other 
 
 * defign, than to blame the Septuagint, 
 ' How then do I condemn the Anci- 
 
 * ent Tranflatcrs ? By no means; but 
 
 * I labour in the Houfe of the Lord, 
 \ treading in the footfteps of thole that 
 ' went before me. 
 
 But notwithftanding all thefe pro- 
 tcftations, St. Aujlin> who was other- 
 wife his Friend , difapproved his 
 undertaking, endcavour'd to take him 
 off of it, and would never allow 
 to have his Verfion read in his Di- 
 ocefe, as has been obicrv'd already. 
 
 D a. Bus 
 
I 4° J 
 
 'Jt(*r»t.y. B u t he was no fooner dead.as Ser.rariui. 
 
 3*5- • Walton^ and others obferve, than his 
 Tranflation acquir'd Authority, and was 
 receiv'd by the mod part of the Latins, 
 \vho acknowledg'd its faithfulnefs, and 
 conformity to the Original Hebrew ; yet 
 fo as the Ancient Verfion, was alfo kept 
 to the time of Gregory the Great, who in 
 his Studies made ufe of both, as he him- 
 felf tells in the end of a Letter directed to 
 Leatider ; tho' he prefers St. Jeromes Ver- 
 fion to the Ancient, declaring that it was 
 more exacft, and that wlwfoever it taught 
 was to be believ'd. 
 
 This Tranflation prevail' d at length by 
 degrees, rather by a tacit confent of the 
 
 Ltiseript. Latin Church, than by any Decree of 
 Councils or Popes. For tho* Hug. de St. 
 Vittor affirm, that the Latine Church did 
 Authorize the reading and publick ufe of 
 it, yet he cites no Decree to that pur- 
 
 E/^09r-p O f e . anc j Erafmus Challenges Dorpius 
 to produce any Synod ical A&, wherein 
 it was approved; Tho' Anfelm, Bernard^ 
 and others, cite and explain it in their Wri- 
 tings. 
 
 S antes Tagniniu having imitated St. Je- 
 row, by giving a Tranflation of the Bi- 
 ble from the Hebrew, in the middle of 
 tlae lad Century, met almoft with the 
 
 fame 
 
fame reproaches, from Mariana the Jefuir % 
 and from Genzlrand, tho' the Popes, Leo 
 the X, Adrian the VI, and Clement the 
 VII, had back'd it with their Authori- 
 ty- 
 
 Nor did Erafmus meet with better treat- 
 ment, upon the account of his Verfion of 
 the New Teftament according to the 
 Greek, from Martin Dorpius at Lovain; 
 from Edward Leigh an Englifhman, from 
 'james Stunica a Spaniard, and from Peter 
 Sutor a Divine of Paris, notwithftanding 
 it had the Approbation of Pope Leo the 
 X, and that it had efcap'd the Cenfure e- 
 ven of the Spanijb Inquifitors. 
 
 The Tranflations of Junius ,^nd Tre- 
 me//ius,andBeza, were no better receiv'd 
 at firft, in feveral places. Our Englifh 
 Divines prohibited the felling of the for- 
 mer, unlefs their Cenfure thereof was 
 bound in with it, which bore, that it was 
 not to be look'd upon as an cxa&VerJron, 
 but as a Paraphraje ; and that the Anno- 
 tations on it were to pafs only for the O- 
 pinions of Men, where there were feve- 
 ral things not to be approved. This 
 Cenfure part at London, in the Year 1593^ 
 Bezds Verfion had much the lame fate. 
 :c: llnfine, every one knows, how the Arch-\ 
 the wfbof of Pans, and the Jefuits proceeded! 
 
 againft s 
 
[ 4* ] 
 
 againft the Gentlemen of the Fort-Royah, 
 for having dar'd to Publifli a Verfion of 
 the New Teftament according to the 
 Greek, in the year 1667. 
 
 Neverthelefs Juftice has been done 
 at length to all thofe Verfions ; and it 
 has been acknowledg'd , that the a- 
 mendments and alterations which they 
 had made according to the Original, 
 were not only ufeful, but alfo abfolutely 
 neceflary. Which gives Ground to hope, 
 that it would Hill be acceptable to en- 
 deavour to give a more exad: Tranfla- 
 tion of the Bible, than any that has 
 liitherto appear'd. And indeed it were 
 to be Wifli'd, that thofe who are in 
 Power, did imploy Men of true Learn- 
 ing and Solid Piety, Free from Bigot- 
 try and blind Zeal, ia fo noble and ne- 
 ceitl^ry a Work. 
 
 
 CHAR 
 
t 43 1 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 1 If the necejjity of ReDifing and Cor- 
 recting the former Translations ^ and 
 that a Tranflation is rather to l^eep 
 to the Senfe than to the Letter. * 
 
 ALL the Jewijh Verfions of the Old 
 Teftament have this Defecl, that 
 \a$jt»y keeping too clofeto the Letter of the 
 :rJ Original, it is almofl impoflible to un- 
 ul'erftand them. Nay, the Generality of 
 rri ^hriftian Tranflators have likewife fal- 
 ;or-i -n into the fame fault, even with refpedl 
 n:«| o the New Teftament, which they have 
 ften made to fpeak Hebrew and Greek 
 l their own Language, flicking fome- 
 idles by the very Etymologies of Words, 
 /ithout confidcring, that it can be only 
 xcuiable in School-boys, to Tranllate 
 fter that manner. 
 It mult certainly be acknowledg'd, 
 i iiat every Language has its particular 
 iraces and Proprieties, and that the Ea- 
 crn Tongues eipccially, whole Stile the 
 ireek of the New Teftament has in ma- 
 ny 
 
(44 3 
 
 ny places imitated, have ways of expref- 
 ftng, which arc relative to the Manners 
 and Cuftoms of the Levant^ that would 
 be Silly and Ridiculous, if they are not; 
 rendred according to the Analogy and 
 Refemblance which they have with the 
 Languages into which they are Transla- 
 ted : Becaufe it feldom happens, that two 
 Languages do agree in their Turn and 
 Phrafe, and that fo a too literal Tran- 
 flation, would be fo far from exprefling 
 die Sence of the Original, with that 
 force and purity in which 'twas firft Writ, 
 that it wouldi quite disfigure it, rob it of 
 its true Ornaments, and make it fpeak 
 oftentimes the quite contrary of what 
 the Author defign'd. 
 
 Indeed, a literal Tranflation of the 
 Bible might be of fome ufe to them that 
 would learn the Hebrew, and the Lan- 
 guage of the Synagogue, which the Au- 
 thors of the New Teftament fpoke, be- 
 caufe they render the Hebrew or Syriack 
 Word for Word. This is the only rea- 
 fon that Pagninus gives in the Preface 
 of his Verfion, for having taken this 
 method of Tranflating, and 'tis indeed 
 the only pretext that can be alleag'd for 
 it. But a Verfion fhould not propofe to 
 it felf to teach us Readers the Language 
 
 Q 
 
U* J 
 
 fcf its Original : There arc Grammars, 
 and I varies enough, appointed for 
 pur pofe : Its principal defign fhould 
 be, to nnke them underfland the mean- 
 ing o! its Authors, otherwife it will un- 
 avoidably fall into nonfenfical Rhapfodies, 
 and gr c occafion for Wild and Extrava- 
 gant : mcies. 
 
 S 1 fin relates a remarkable Story to 
 thi urpofe. He was Preaching on a 
 pertain occafion, on Mat. u. n. which ^*'dp» 
 the Vulgar Latine renders, / confefs tofts. M*tt. 
 i j tather, &c. and he had no fooner 
 read the firft Words of his Text, than 
 his Hearers fell a beating of their Breafts 
 according to the cuftom of thofe that con- 
 fed their Sins in his time ; which gave 
 him occafion to blame them for having ta- 
 ken too much notice of the Words, with- 
 out confidering their meaning; telling 
 them they were Words of Thankfgiving 
 in this place, being exprefs'd by Our 
 Bleffed Saviour^ who ha4 never Sin'd, and De v<r* 
 confequencly,had no need of Confefiion.* <; - f **■ 
 :* The lame Father often acknowledges, 
 
 L ; that Chriftians are indifpenfibly obli- 
 ged, to inftrudl themielves in the true 
 Senfe of the Scripture Phrafes, and to 
 bring them to ways of fpeaking us'd in 
 
 " chur Mother Tongue ; becaufcall Lan- 
 guages 
 
 Sng 
 
 :hac 
 frit, 
 it o 
 id 
 
 m 
 
 i 
 
 La& 
 
 A* 
 
 ,h 
 
 thi 
 vied 
 
14*} 
 
 guages have particular forms of expref- i 
 fion, which feem Ridiculous when Tran- 
 flated into other Languages. 
 ty.Al St. Jerom was fo fully convinced, that 
 *^****the perfection of a Tranflation coniifts 
 sln**nd rather in'the conformiry of the Senfe t 
 ikt*h that of the Original, ?han in a confor 
 nrity of Words and Phraies, that he no 
 only confefles he had chiefly us'd th 
 former in his Tranflauons, but alfo So 
 lemnly declares he did not much regard 
 the latter ; according to the Example of 
 Cicero, in his Translations of the Prota- 
 goras of Plato , the Oeconomicks of Xeno- 
 phon^ and of the two fine difcourfes of 
 Efchines^ and Demojihenes againft him. 
 But laft the Example of Cicero fhould 
 be rejected by his Adverfaries, he adds, 
 that Hilary the Corfejjbr had followed the 
 fame method in his Tranflations of fe- 
 deral Homilies on the Book of Job, and 
 of fevcral Treatifes and Sermons on the 
 Tfalms, from Greek to Latin. This me- 
 thod of keeping more to theSenfe,than to 
 the Words, in Tranflating the Holy Scrip* 
 turesjfeem'd fo eilentialto this famousln- 
 terpreter, that giving his opinion on this 
 Subjed to Sunia and Frateda^ he repeats 
 again, That it was the chief b • , *fs 
 of a Tranflatur, to render the uins 
 
 and 
 
r- 
 
 [ 47 ] 
 and proprieties of a Strange Language, fnfM 
 in the mod clear and cxadt expreflions 8 *- ofcf- 
 of his own, as Cicero, Terence, Tlautus 
 and Ccciliut \,thc mod Learned of their 
 Age,) had done in their Tranflations from 
 Greek to Latme ; And in another place he 
 tells us, that 'tis difficult to give Tran- 
 flations the Graces of their Original, and 
 that when they arc rendred Word for 
 Word, they are in many places Barbarous 
 and Ridiculous. 
 
 Baron/us Ipcaking of the LXX, ob- J™*'>- 
 ferves, that tho* they had defignd to 
 Tranflate the Hebrew into Greek, Word 
 for Word, they could not have done it, 
 there being in the Hebrew feveral Words, 
 lid which can hardly be fo well exprefsft in *#'•?*• 
 ^ Greek, by a whole Sentence : and Gene- lQ * 
 mi brand remarks, that the method of Tran- 
 fe. dating among the Ancients, was, to in- 
 lod fert feveral Words,to render the Senfe more 
 the clear. Thus Jonathan, OrtkeIos>at\d almofl: 
 ne- all Verfions; have put in feveral Words 
 jto to make their exprelfions more intel- 
 np ligible : To this it may be added, 
 ^ thar the Apoftles themielves, In their 
 lb Citations out of the Old Teftament, 
 $i§ keep more by the Senfe than by 
 the Words, yet fo as they cannot be 
 accufed of having alter 'd the Origi- 
 nal. 
 
 ni 
 
f 48 J 
 nal : For, iince Words arc the Interpret 
 ters of our thoughts, and the only mir~ 
 rour in which they can be represented, 
 it cannot it be deny'd>but that he who ex- 
 prefles ones thoughts beft, is the moft 
 faithful Interpreter, whatever drefs he 
 puts them in. Which makes the Learn- 
 
 bnltgm. ed Serrarius acknowledge, that the beft 
 way of Tranflating one Language into a- 
 nother, is, to keep clofe to the Author's 
 meaning, whether one Tranilate Word 
 for Word, or otherwife, adding and ta- 
 king away fomething, by way of Para- 
 phrafe,according to the defign of the firft 
 Author, always taking notice of Things, 
 Pcrfbns, and Circumftances. 
 
 But not to infift any longer on the Au- 
 thority of thofe great Men, it is moft 
 evident to any confidering perfon, that 
 there is an indifpenfable neceifity of keep- 
 ing more to the Senfe than the Words of 
 the Original, if we would avoid feveral 
 Errors, prejudicial to Religion and our 
 
 Gtmpn own Happinefs. Lawyers affirm, thai! 
 
 cecimt* ».the Knowledge of the Law do*s not con- 
 
 ft fift in knowing the Letter of the Law; 
 but its meaning ; becaufe the defign of 
 the Law-giver is more to be confider'd^ 
 than the Words in which the Law itfelf i£ 
 expreft; which may with much more 
 reafon be laid of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
C 49 J 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 That the Tranflations by Jltcfyng loo 
 cloje to the Original) and likeivije 
 by going too far from itj haPoe mul- 
 tiply d the Contro'VerJies^ and gi- 
 Den occajwn to federal foolijh andfuper- 
 Jiitious Fancies j and dangerous Er* 
 tors. * 
 
 I " ~ He Jewsy and thofe that &re for 
 | Tranflating all according to the 
 Letter, have fallen into fuch Ridiculous, 
 Fopperies,as excite the fcorn, or compal- 
 fion of all who are Mailers of the leaf! 
 rcalbn. St. Jerom obicrves, that the iu-^^f 
 perftition of tiieii Philacteries y ows its 
 rife to their having taken literally, the 
 Commandment which God had given 
 them, to hind his Laws for a Jign on their 
 Hands, and to have them as front/ets be- 
 tween their Eyes. i. e.to obey them, and to 
 keep them in continual Remembrance. But 
 the literal Interpretation which the Pha- 
 E rijeef 
 
[ so ] 
 
 v ifees, (who on other occafions were bu c 
 too much given to Allegories) have put 
 on the Words, made them believe, that 
 they csntain'd an exprefs precept of wri- 
 ting on a Piece of Parchment, with a 
 great deal of Formality and Ceremony* 
 ibme Verfes out of Exod. 1 3 . and Deut. 
 11. and thereafter to bind them to their 
 Forheadand Left Arm, with great Devo- 
 tion: So that thole who carried them 
 mod frequently, were lcpk'd upon as 
 mod Religious, tho' at the bottom there 
 is nothing more Superftitious or Ridi- 
 culous. 
 
 II. It were to be wifh'd that the Jews f 
 and fome, even of the moft learn'd a- 
 mong Chriftians, did only flick to the 
 Letter when it is exprefs and plain ; and 
 that they did not fhevv their Weaknefs in 
 this refpedt, even when the Words of the 
 Original fay nothing like what they would 
 have them fignify. Every body knows 
 the Childifh and Superfluous Scruple of 
 the Jews, of the Greek and Latine Fathers^ 
 and of feveral Modern Divines as to the 
 Name Jehovah^ which they thought was 
 unlawful to be pronounced, becaufe they 
 read in their Tranflations, that the Son of 
 the Ifraelitijh Woman, had pronounced the 
 
 Levit. 24. tfame Jehovah, and that he that did Pronounce 
 it. 1* tht 
 
 i 
 
[ Jl ] 
 
 the Name Jehovah, JhoulJ he furely put toTr. San- 
 Death. The 7m'.r do aggravate this f "^ c * 4 ' 
 thrcatning, excluding from Life Eternal, 
 any that Ihall be guiity of that pretended 
 Crime 5 and 'tis in Confcqucnce of that 
 Law, that they call this Name ineffable, 
 and that they read Adona'i or Elohim, in 
 all the places where the Word Jehovah 
 is found. 
 
 But, bcfides that they make no Scruple 
 to Pronounce thole two other Names of 
 God, which they pretend to be Synoni- 
 nious, or at lead equivalent, to that of 
 Jehovah, they charge God with making 
 a Law, direclly contrary to that which 
 he gave the Ifraelites, when they were to 
 expiate the Guilt of a Murder committed 
 in the Field by an unknown Hand. For 
 he exprefly orders the Elders of the 
 next City, after fome Ceremonies pre- 
 fcrib'd to them, to fay, Jehovah it mer* 
 ciful to thy People liracl : and he Com-D-uc H 
 manded the Ifraelites feveral Ages after 8, 
 to Sweat in theie Words, as Jehovahj.r 
 liveth. 
 
 But, that which evidently fhews the 
 Folly and Superftition of not Pronoun- 
 cing the Name Jtbcrvah is this ; That 
 Drufius and others, who have luch an a- 
 verfion to the Pronouncing of tttbat v fcuc: 
 E - 
 
[ 5i] 
 
 of contempt, they give the Name of Je» 
 
 hovifls to thofe that pronounce it, yet, 
 
 don't Scruple to Pronounce feveral Words, 
 
 which are compounded from it. Ludo- 
 
 ( I ) view Capeffus Confefles befides, that it 
 
 may be read Ex. 6. 3. becaufe that name 
 
 Antibar is there diftinguiih'd from all the other 
 
 p »33*. NamesofGod. Aw am a excufes thofe that 
 
 Read it, providing they believe the ffmfr 
 
 els of the Name Jehovah are its proper 
 
 Vowels; and 'cis generally acknowledge 
 
 Moreh. ^y t ' ie ?<?«#> according to Maimomdes that 
 
 Nevoch. the Priefts might Pronounce it in the 
 
 £ r l c * Sanctuary, with a high Voice, in the 
 
 Numbers Ptefence of all the People, at the pub- 
 
 6.23. 24. lick Benediction, where it feveral times 
 
 occurs. 
 
 But this difpute might foon be put to 
 an end, and thofe Superftitious Scruples 
 might foon be di/llpated, by the exad: 
 confederation of the Hebrew Word, which 
 they Tranflated to Pronounce. For it 
 Properly fignifyes to Pierce, and Metapho* 
 rical/y, to Curfe or Blafpheme (becaufe 
 thofe that Curfe do in a manner pierce 
 ( 2 ) one with their Spiteful Tongues) as our 
 Tranflation, and fome others have very 
 w )11 render'd it, here and el/ewbere. Why 
 (hould not we then retain the innocent 
 Pronunciation of the Name Jehovah, or 
 
 at 
 
r n 1 
 
 at lca(r,offomeWord equivalent to it,fuc!i 
 as that of God (which St. Yaul imploys R ""- 3 4- 
 in citing Gen. if. 6.) rather than follow 
 a Superfluous Opinion, founded only 
 on a Mis-Tranflatcd paflagc of Scrip- 
 ture, and the Fancy of the Majorets. 
 
 III. There is nothing more Ridiculous, 
 than to keep in a Tranflation the lafl 
 Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, and to 
 cxprefs it afterwards by its Pronuncia- 
 tion, as if the People knew it, or had 
 any notion of it. We might with farEzet./4. 
 more reafon, put all the In triptiom that 
 are fpokc of in the Old Teftament, in 
 Hebrew Characters, becaufe they were 
 Commanded to be writ in Helrew, and 
 not in any other Language. But that which 
 quite ruins this Rabbinical Fancy, is ; that, 
 in all the Old Jejlawent, we don't find 
 a Letter imploy'd to cxprefs its own fi- 
 gure only ; fo that Thau do's no more fig- 
 nify a Hebrew T in this place, than Van 
 do's a Hebrew V in the Books of flfofesj 
 as D. Sorting has ohfcrv'd. 'Tis there- 
 fore necdleis labour to break our Heads, 
 to find out what this Letter fignify'd ; and 
 the Opinion of Kimkt, and his Majters, 
 viz, that the Angel Gabriel had writ it f \ 
 with Ink upon the Forehead of the God- 
 iy, as a prcfage of their Eternal Happi- 
 E 3 nefs 
 
[ Hi 
 nefs, and with Blood on the Forehead of 
 the Wicked, to prefage their Eternal Dam- 
 nation, is as Childiih and Silly, as the 
 Senielels Grammaticifm which 'tis built up- 
 
 (&) on. Nor is that of feveral Fathers, and 
 fome Modern Divvies lets Chimerical and 
 Foolifh, viz. that the Ancient Thau of the 
 Hebrews was like to the Tau of the Greeks^ 
 or T of the Latines y which reprefent the 
 Figure of the Crofs. For IJaiah do's not 
 lay, That God Commanded a Cherubim to 
 Jet the Letter Thau upon the Forehead of 
 the Men, that figlfd and cried for all the 
 Abominations that were done in Jerufalem, 
 but to fety or mark a mark on them, as out 
 Tranflators, and feveral others have vc- 
 
 ( 5 ) r y we ll render' d it. 
 
 IV. All the Verfwm have almoft com- 
 mitted the fame Fault, in Tranflating, 
 That God had put a mark on Cain, lejr a-. 
 Qsn.4.1 5, n y fading bim y fhould kill him ^ tha' the O- 
 riginal fay's no fuch thing, as the LXX 
 have obferv'd, who render it very well 
 thus^ That God Jet a Sign or Wonder before 
 Cain to perjuade him that vchojocver Jkould 
 find him Jhould not kill him. . Almoft the 
 fame with what is laid Ex. 10. 12. that 
 God did fet figns before the ./Egyptians,, 
 and Ifaiah 66. 19. that he would Jet a 
 fign among the Heathen : Where 'tis evi- 
 dent: 
 
[ w 1 
 
 dent, he do's not meaa any particular 
 Mark, which (hou'd be let on their bo- 
 dies , but oniy thefe Signs and Won- 
 ders which he wrought in dBgypt, to 
 oblige Pharaoh to let his People go, and 
 die miraculous manner after which he 
 deliver' d them from the Baiilcnijb Cap- 
 tivity. This explication is natural and 
 agreeable to the Methods of the Divine 
 Providence, which is Wont to convince 
 the incredulous by Signs and Wondcis. 
 Kor could any Ids aliure Oflr, in the 
 fear he was under, that die firft that did 
 meet him ihould not kill him, after what 
 God had laid to him, in upbraiding 
 him with his Crime : There is, there- 
 fore, nothing more Foolilh than the con- 
 jectures of the Rahbi\ and of iome 
 Chrijlian Daiors, concerning this pre- 
 tended Mark, which they think God 
 did Imprint upon the Body of Cam, 
 to diitinguilh him from other Men,Pi'rke Ab, 
 and to keep him from being killd. c:: 
 Some, as A\ Eliezer, and larcbi, ima- 
 gine, that it was ibme of the Letters 
 of the name Jehoval^or of the Hebrew Al- 
 phabet, or even of the Name Ca'ni y that 
 were printed on his Forehead, or on ^ noren , 
 his Arms. Others, as R. Abba Jqfe 9 n*k 
 vc fancied that in was a Horn, which 
 E 4 grew 
 
[56] 
 grew out of his Forehead. Several of 
 j 6 j the Fathers, and fome Arabians have 
 thought it to be a continual trembling 
 of Body. There are fome who ima- 
 Ap.Abc- gine, that this fign was a Dog, that al- 
 "ennor^ wa y s attended him ; Others that thtf 
 Earth always ihook about him. And 
 /»Tai> Home have fancied, that this fign was 
 fhumf. 4-the Sabbath, which was given to A- 
 dam, as an aflurance of Grace, and 
 that 'twas alfo granted to Cain. In fine, 
 the Wiler fort, who did not dare to de- 
 termine what this fign was, becaufe the 
 Scripture fay's nothing of it, have flill 
 imagin'd, that there muft have been 
 fome fenfible Mark on the Body of 
 ( 7 ) Cain. And there has been but a few 
 that have underftood the true meaning 
 of this Text, and have generoufly Sha- 
 ken of the prejudice of too much ad- 
 miring Tranflations, which fometimes 
 fills the Head with Ridiculous Vi- 
 fions. 
 
 V. It is undeniable, that a great many 
 Errors and Superftitions do proceed 
 from wrong Tranflations, or from Mens 
 j^; H/ ^;taking Figurative expreffions in a li- 
 fiw./.^.teral Senle. To what excefs of cru- 
 elty were Origen and others Tranfport- 
 cd againft their own Body, by having 
 
 under- 
 
[ 57 1 
 umterftood the Words of our Saviour Athm.Ap. 
 Mat. 19. ii. literally? which oblig'd de fue * 
 the firft Council of Nice to prohibit this 
 cuftom. But (with all deference to 
 fuch a Venerable Afftmhli) it had been 
 more proper to have corrected the Vcr- 
 fion, which was capable to deceive the 
 Simple, and to have render'd the Words 
 thus ; That there ate fome t who live as 
 if they were Eunuchs for the Kingdom of 
 Heavens fake. 
 
 VI. St. Auflin^ and the Romanifls^ af- 
 ter him, to defend their Sainc and Image 
 Worfhip, obferve, that Our Saviour 
 Mat. 4. 11. do's not fay, thou fhalt on- 
 ly Worfhip the Lord thy God, tho he 
 fays him only thou fhalt Serve. But this 
 is to be more fubtle than the Devil 
 himfelf, who having only requir'd of 
 our Saviour to fall down and Worfhip 
 him, went off baffled at this Anfwer, 
 which yet would have been imperfect 
 and impertinent, if the fancy of St. Au- 
 jlin was true. But if this Father and 
 thofe that blindly follow his Authority 
 had apply'd themfelves more clofely 
 to ftudy the Stile of the Scriptures, 
 they would have been alhamed to ulc 
 iuch kind of Arguments,- For 'tis evi- 
 dent, as has been obferv'd already, 
 
 that 
 
[ J8 ] 
 that the Word Only which is exprefs'd 
 in the Command of ferving God, is 
 alfo underftood in that of Worihiping 
 him. 
 
 VII. They alfo endeavour to prove 
 the Do&rine of the Invocation of Saints, 
 by another Scripture Authority, which 
 has fomewhat more of {hew, but no- 
 thing more of Subftance, for their pur- 
 pofe, than the former. They find in 
 the Vulgar Latin, That Jacob wijhed 
 that the names of his Fore-fathers Abra- 
 ham, and Ifaac fhoulcl he ca/fd on his 
 Children. But Eflius and Menoch, after 
 Fagius and Erafmus, do obferve, that 
 this Hebraifm fignifyes only, that Ja- 
 cob wifh'd that his Poftetity might pre- 
 ferve the Honour and Dignity of their 
 Original, and that they might always be 
 acknowledged to be the worthy Off 
 fpring of the Patriarchs, whom God 
 had honoured with his Covenant. In 
 effed if we compare this Text with 
 other places of Scripture, where the 
 fame expreflion is us'd, we fhali clear- 
 ly find, that it fignifyes nothing like 
 Religious Invocation, Wen Joat? had 
 taken the Royal City of the Ammonites, 
 he jent Mejjengers to David and [aid ; 
 f| ama2, come and take the City left my N$we fhould, 
 
 be 
 
 
[ 59 1 
 
 h called upon it. Who Tees not here, 
 that Joab was not afraid that the Inha- 
 bitants of Bahba fhould Invocate him, 
 but that they fhould call the City by 
 Ins Name, and that they and others 
 mould attribute to him the Honour of 
 the Victory, which he would have re- 
 ferv'd for David, either out of AfVe&ion, 
 or for fear of incurring his Jcaloufy ; 
 as the praifes of fome Women, had, a 
 little before, made David incur that of 
 Saul. Ifaiab foretelling the Captivity 
 of the Jews fays, that then [even Wo- 
 men fhould take hold upon one Man, jaying, 
 ive will eat our own Bread and wear our 
 own apparel, only let thy Name be called 
 oh us. Now there is none fo grofsly ig- 
 norant as to imagine, that chefc Wo- 
 men defired to give Religious Worfhip 
 to this Man, and 'tis as clear as day, 
 that they only wifh'd to pafs for his 
 Wives, and he called by his Name. We 
 find the fame way of fpeaking Ifaiab. 
 44. 5. One fhall fay I am the Lord's, 
 and another ft all call en the Name of Ja- 
 cob and another fhall julfcribe with his 
 had I H an ^ I am the Lord's and fhall call on 
 the name 0/ Ifracl; and Ifaiab 48. z. They 
 •^ call on the Holy City, i. c. as all Inter- 
 preters confefs, that' they ftould take 
 
 and 
 
 4. if. 
 
[to] 
 
 and bear the name and quality of the 
 Pofterity of Jacob or Ifrael, and of the 
 Inhabit ants of Jerufalem. And thus they 
 fhould be Tranflated, at lead in Ver- 
 fions defign'd for the People, which 
 cannot be too exadt and clear, for 
 preventing of errour and fu perdition. 
 And therefore our Tranflators have very 
 Judicioufly (tuck to the meaning of the 
 Hebraifm, in all the forecited places, fet- 
 ting down fometimes the Hebraifm it felf 
 on the Margin. It feems alfo that all the 
 places where 'tis faid that the name of 
 God is called on Men, fhould be ren- 
 * der'd thus ; that they bear the Name and 
 
 Quality of the Children of God, as the 
 mod learned Commentators do acknow- 
 ledge. 
 De verbo VIII. BeUarmive and the mod of the Re- 
 Dei. C. 2. m an Catholicks, after Thomas Aquinas y 
 Pineda™ ' an d fy ra * imagine they have a demon- 
 dration for their Worshiping of Saints 
 Job. 5. 1. which the Vulgar' Latine ren- 
 ders, Call novo and turn thy felf to one of 
 the Saints. But this is one of the mod 
 palpable faults of that Tranfla^ion, for 
 E L M I. the Words which it renders to one, 
 as the Maforets obferve, is only found 
 in feven places of Scripture, in all which 
 they are to he taken Interrogatively, 
 
 which 
 
[ 6t ] 
 
 which is equal to the flri&eft Nega- 
 tion : Not to mention that the Saints 
 were not invocated under the Old Te- 
 ftament, becaufc according to the Do- 
 d:nnc of the Church of Rome, they 
 were in a Limlia, remote from the pre- 
 fence of God. Our Tranjlators have there- 
 fore had realon to render this place of 
 Job thus, Call now if there be any that 
 will anjwcr thee 7 and to which of the An- 
 gels wilt thou turn ? 
 
 IX. Thus hkcwilc, with St.Auffi* 9S 
 they think they have an unanfwerable Elem. 
 proof for the merit of good Works inMcnoch. 
 the Counlel which Daniel gave to A f *-C.aLapid.' 
 luchadnezzer. To Redeem his Sins (as the 
 Vulgar La tine renders it) by alms giving. 
 
 Bur certainly they had never madeufe of 
 this proof, if they had confider'd, that J^ ak " *** 
 the Verb which they Tranflate to Re* 
 deem, has never that fignification, but 
 when it is applyed to Perfcns in Bondage 
 or Difirejs, and that when it has things 
 or vices for its objett, it always figni- 
 fics to abandon, to break off, or to abjlain 
 from y as Gejenu has proved, after the 
 R. R. Solomon, Kimki and Nathan. 
 
 X. But if the too literal Verfions 
 of the Bible, have contributed to the 
 invention and continuance of ieveral Su- 
 
 perftitions ; 
 
perditions ; Thefe that have altoge- 
 ther forfaken the Original, have thrown 
 Men inco feveral dangerous errors and 
 needlefs controverfies. Origen deceiv'd 
 by the Opinion of the Jews, and by the 
 Septuagint and Vulgar Latine 9 believed 
 that there was to be no Rejurretlion of 
 the Wicked, becaufe he read in thofe 
 
 fM.*. Xranflations, that the Wicked fkould 
 not arife in the day of Judgment, and 
 that the Gyants jhould not rife again ; tho' 
 there is no fuch thing in the Original, 
 
 ifc.26. 14. which only fays, that the Wicked fhall 
 not ft and Q, e, that they {hall lofe their 
 caufe) when they are fudged, and that 
 the Rephaims, of the dead, as they could 
 not keep themfelves from dying, lb 
 neither could they enliven themfelves again, 
 now they were dead. Otherwife if we 
 ihould keep to the Segtuagint and VuU 
 gar Latine, we muft alfc fay that Phy- 
 ficians iliall not rife again, becaufe they 
 affirm it in fo many Words, tho' the 0- 
 
 */.•« l0 ' Y iginal only lays. Shall the Rephaims 
 or the Dead arife and Praife thee ? 
 
 XI. Origen and his Followers, fan- 
 cied alfo that the Wicked and the Devils 
 Ihould be faved one day, becaufe they 
 found in the Septuagint and V. L. How 
 great is thy Gocdnefs, which thou hap con- 
 cealed 
 
[63 ] 
 
 ceiled from thoje that fear thee > fuppo- 
 fitig that God had hid this from the 
 Righteous to keep them to their Duty, 
 and to hinder them from falling into 
 Wickcdncis ; and St. Auftin was at a lots 
 what to anlwcr to this objection, be-Tfaphan 
 caufe he did not know that the Hebrew Prrvl i- 
 Word, which fignifyes ibmetimes to 1J 
 conceal, do's alfo fignify to referve orj^ I5 . 20 . 
 lay up, as in this place and fome others, *7- *7- 
 and that \o David here admires the 
 greatnefs of that happinefs, which God 
 has laid up for them that fear him, as 
 the Modern Verftons do very well 
 Tranflate it, conform to the Origin 
 naL 
 
 XII. St. Auftin often cites what he had 
 read in the LXX. and V. L. If you 
 don't believe you fia/J not underfland, to 
 infer from it, that we mud believe the 
 Divine truths, before we undetftand 
 them. And the Crowd of Popifb Wri- 
 ters follow him to Authorize a Blind 
 and implicite Faith ; but if he had had An 
 exadl Tranflation, he had only read, 
 Unlefs you believe^ viz. that the King- 
 doms of Aftyria and Ijrael {hall ihort* 
 ly be deftroy'd, you fhall not be efta- 
 llijhed. 
 
 And 
 
[6 4 ] 
 
 And yet, which is pretty ftrange, St, 
 Auftin was not ignorant that the Words 
 do admit, and this Tranflation, for in 
 another place he obferves it, and ftands 
 up for it. Nay it feems that the Words 
 of the Original lhould be render'd by 
 way of Queftion thus, will you not be- 
 lieve an unlefs you are confirmed > as fe- 
 . veral learned Men have obferv'd. The 
 J^eodtt. Prophet fees Ahaz perfift in his diffidence 
 S. Ama.pand fear, from which he endeavours to 
 P eiifer- re ji eve him,by alluring him that God had 
 promifed to deliver him fiom the Ene- 
 my ; Wherefore he puts the Queftion 
 whether he or his Council would not be- 
 lieve, unlefs they were confirmed by 
 fbme Miracle^ leaving it at his choice to 
 require fuch a one as he pleafed, and de- 
 claring to him, that God would not 
 fail to give him a ftgn to convince 
 him of the truth of what he had told 
 him. 
 
 XIII. This Father was lb far prejudi- 
 ced in favour, of the Septuaijnt that 
 when he could not excufe it from cor- 
 rupting the Original^ he had recourfc 
 to Figures and Types. He acknowledges 
 that Jonah gave Forty days to the Ni- 
 3oti*hy4.nevites to repent in. But becaufe the 
 Septmgint gives them but three days, 
 
 his 
 
[ «s ] 
 
 his penetrating Wit finds out a wtf 
 to reconcile this : Thc^e Interpreters ac- 
 cording to him arc as Infallible as thfe 
 Original, For he believed them infpir'd 
 by God. Thus then I c folvcs the dif- 
 ficulty. The thr^ 3 of the LXX, 
 fays he, refer typically to the Death of 
 Jefits Chr/jl, and the forty days of the 
 Original, to the Forty days he converted 
 wi:h his Diftiples air'/: his Rcfurre- 
 dtion. 
 
 XII. Wlfat whimfies Ins he not , 
 vented for explaining Exod. 21. zz. 
 i 4 }. which the LXX, and V, L. render 
 thus, //" a Child come without jdrni front 
 a Woman that is hurt, &c. He fu^po^ 
 fes that the Child is for lb me time with- 
 out form, t e. according to him, without! 
 a Seu% and that at lcngrii it is inform^ 
 *7, i. c. receives a Soul. Upon which \\?. 
 difputcs whether in receive the Soul ir 
 the time of conception, or a long timd 
 after, tho' there is nothing of this irt 
 ihc Original, and t \\6 the Words which 
 the LXX, TranfLtc formed ivAinform 
 eonftantly fignify a Wound, which ft* 
 or one which is not deadly .-and only 
 
 : to ire outturn ' 1 of th<5 Be 
 Neverthclcfsthe Maflers oi Sententff&nd 
 [ Schorl Me** di 
 
[66] 
 
 on the Authority of St. Aujlin, about 
 the propagation of Original fin , and 
 make fuch wild objections one againfta- 
 anccher, as could fcarcely fall in the 
 head of the Maddeft Bedlamite. 
 
 Thofe errors might be fupportable, if 
 the Authors of them did not impofe a 
 nece/fity on all Men to follow their 0- 
 pinions ; and if the faults of the Verfions 
 did not engage Men in fliarp difpures,and 
 controverfies, which ruine that Charity 
 
 and union, which 
 
 3ii ght 
 
 to abound a- 
 
 mong Chriftians. But as Men of Learn- 
 ing, and elpecially Divines, are of a vi- 
 olent Temper, and there is no extre- 
 mity into which they are not capable to 
 run, when they fuffer themfelves to be 
 tranfported by a 2eal, which feemsJto 
 be founded on the Word of God, it is a 
 matter of the higheft importance, not 
 to take thofe things for Divines Truths, 
 which are often times the product of Ig- 
 norance and Error. 
 
 XIII. The experience of feveral Ages, 
 and particularly of ours, in feveral pla- 
 ces of Europe, can evidently demonftrate, 
 how much Cruelty and Barbarity the 
 Wrong Tranflation of one Word is capa- 
 ble to produce. St. Auftin could find no 
 better argument to juftify his rigorous 
 
 proceed^ 
 
[ i) ] 
 
 proceedings againft the Donatids than 
 the Words of the Parable Luke 14. ty. 
 which moft Tranflarions render, Compel 
 
 1 to come in ; tho' 'twas never the 
 cudom to force any violently to come to 
 a Feaft, but than the mod civil and obli- 
 ging methods have been always us'd on 
 filch occafions. I don't believe that they 
 who arc fo much for -violence in matters 
 of Religion, arc fo unrcafonablc as to 
 think, that St. Peter us d any force to 
 bring the Gentiles over to Judatfm^ tho' G 
 St. J ml accuies him of having compelled 
 them to Judaize, nor that the two Dijci- 
 pies, who met Jciiis in the way to £- 
 maus, did offer any violence to him, to 
 make him flay with them, fince the&«& 
 Goipel, which lays that they cwftrained 
 him to flay with them, tells us that this 
 condraint confided only in laying, (no 
 doubt with grca: earncdnels) Abide 
 vs. But fince thole Words of 
 co), and cor? •■-, commonly fig- 
 
 nify fomcthing of violence and ieventy, 
 it were better to avoid them in a Tran* 
 , and lore., ; foregoing pi 
 
 a i follows. n to can 
 
 Te daize. 
 
 vbliifgd him to abi fe with them, than r ^ 
 leave a pretext to thofewhoThtafgrefs th- 
 F i rdl 
 
[68 ] 
 rules of Moderation, as St. Aufiin al- 
 ways did when he thought he had any 
 Warrant from Scripture for fo doing. 
 j$uah 4 . XIV. What troubles did he create to 
 6.7.9.10. st t Jerom for having Tranflated the He- 
 brew word Kihajon by that of 7^y,whereas 
 thcLXX and V. L. which were Aujiins 
 Favourite Verfions, had Tranflated, the 
 one, a Wild Gourd and the other a Pump- 
 kin. Pie attackt him violently in leve- 
 ral Letters, to which St* Jerom always 
 anfwcred very civilly, telling him he did 
 nor p.etend to determine pofitively (hat it 
 was an/x^,but that it mult have beenfome 
 fuch Plant, rather than a Gourd oz Pimp- 
 kin, which grows clofe to the Earth, and 
 could not have fhaded Jonah from the 
 1 heat of the Sun. But this was not all ; 
 for Jerom complains that he was accu- 
 fed of Sacrilege and Herefy at Rome, by 
 St. Auxins Friend, and that they who 
 flood for his Verfion of this word were 
 fo fcurvily ufed, that they were often 
 fore'd to come to blows. Thofe who 
 defire to be further informed of this Ri- 
 diculous controverfy, may confult Ri- 
 lera on Jonas, Sixtus Sinenfis, and Mart* 
 inius. 
 
 XV. This Father was often very Al- 
 legorical without neceflity, and alio kepc 
 
 oftei* 
 
[ 6 9 ) 
 often to the Letter without: reaion. He 
 it. z8. 66. Thy Life /hall hang 
 i. c. fhall be doubtful and un- 
 certain ; but he refers this to Jcilis hang- 
 ing on the Crols, becauic he is fomctimes 
 called the Life in the New Teftam'ent. 
 At this rate it might be thought that 
 all the People of Ifrael were hanging, 
 when God fay's by the Prophet Hojeah, 
 My People hang, that is, are in doubt H »f™b*r 
 orfufpence, which our Tranflation ren- 
 ders, My People is lent to back-Jlid- 
 ing . 
 
 XVI. What forry proofs do's he al- 
 lege to the Pelagians, for preventing 
 and fubfequent Grace. He found the 
 one and the other, in plain terms, in his 
 Verfions, Pf. $y. 10. and 2.3. 5-. His 
 Mercy fhall prevent me, and his Mercy 
 (ball follow me. But if we confult the 
 Original, thofe pretended proofs vanifh ; 
 for it only expreiTes, in the places cited, 
 the confidence that David had in the Di- 
 vine Protection and Favour. The God 
 of Mercy, faith he, (hall prevent me, viz, 
 from Danger. Surely Goodncjs and Mer- 
 cy y 1. e. Proipcrity and Succefs, fball 
 Jo//ow me all the days of my Life. 
 
 XVII. He farther adduces to prove 
 preventing Grace, Prov. 8. 35, which 
 
 F i the 
 
[ ?o ] 
 the LXX and V. L, render, the will is 
 prepared by the Lord ; tho' the Original 
 pnly fays, he /kail obtain his Will jrom 
 the Lord. His Will fignifying either the 
 iavour of God in General, as cur Tran- 
 slation exprefTes ir, or that which a Man 
 deferes, as the jens and Vatablus explain 
 it. Which Solcmon propoies to good 
 Men, as the reward of iheir Piety. 
 Such Arguments do mere hurt than 
 good, and the neccL.zy of the Divine 
 Grace is too evident to (land in need of 
 filly proofs. 
 
 XVin. To prove the difficulty of 
 keeping God's Commandments, againft 
 the fame Pelagians, he cites Pf. 17. 3. 
 which the fame Verfions render, I haze 
 cbjerved hard ways. But the Original 
 pnly fpeaks in this place of the Wicked, 
 which Tranfgrefs the Law of God, and 
 not of the difficulty of his Command- 
 ments, which the Pfalmift, throughout 
 tjie whole 119 Pfal. reprefents as 
 pleafant, and eafy to be obey'd. The 
 Pfalmift then fays here ; I have kept 
 my felf from the paths of theDeftroyer. 
 It were eaf <f to produce a great many 
 exemples ofthelikemiftakes of Modern 
 Divines, into which they have fallen, 
 by relying too much on feme Verfions, 
 
t 71 1 
 or flicking too much to the letter of 
 the Original. But this is lb well known, 
 that the mod: part of controverfies, now 
 adays, are reduced to the examining 
 of the true meaning of the Texts of 
 Scripture, which arc alleged on both 
 fides: juft as it was amongil the Ancient 
 Pbi/ofopbers, that ditputed againft one a- 
 nothcr with great vehemency and heat 9 
 tho' at the bottom they rather differed 
 about words than about things, as Tully 
 objects to the Sect of Zeno. 
 
 XIX. It is therefore undenyable, 
 that if we had an exacl; Verfion of the 
 Scriptures, which did clearly and impar 
 tially render the true meaning of the 
 Spirit of God, it might be hoped, that 
 difputes and contentions among Chri- 
 ftians, fliould confiderably diminifh and 
 fall. We might likewiie look for a 
 quite other Succcfs than has been hi- 
 therto found, in our Difputes with the 
 Enemies of our Religion, who when 
 they hca* us adduce mits-tranflatedTcxts 
 to prove the mod efTcntial Truths, 
 rake occafion to intuit over Religion in 
 general, as if it had no more Solid 
 foundation, as St. Thomas and all Rea^ 
 fonablc Divines do acknowledge. 
 
 X& Art 
 
[7i J 
 Preter. I. XX. And here there is ground fos 
 Z'v\\. renswil1 g th e complaint of Drufius in the 
 beginning of this Age, againft the neg- 
 ligence of the mod of c Divines, who 
 
 * are at no pains to find out the true 
 ' Senfe of the Scriptures, which they 
 1 don't underftand, and from which 
 
 * they daily draw new Do&rines; dif- 
 f putmg perpetually about things which 
 ? pafs their underftanding, and which 
 | phey ihall never agree about, &c, 
 
 Annotations on Chap. VI. 
 
 ( i ) {Such 2$, "jehonathan, Jehofcbaphat, Je- 
 
 hojachirrt) and jchuchal^ which they 
 •therefore call, Jaophora and Tetragram-? 
 
 tnatoplora. 
 ( 2 ) As Arias Motif anus, Tagnin, Junius 
 
 and Ti'?meliiuS) Aivfxvcrth $nd Bux- 
 
 rorf. 
 : 3 ) Becaufe Thau is the Capital Letter of 
 
 the future of the Verh Chajab, which 
 
 fignifies thou fkalt live; and of the fa ? 
 
 xure of the Verb Mouthy which fignifies ; 
 
 thou {halt dye, 
 * \ See Origeft A Tertu/Han^h. centra Jud. 
 
 Clem&t. Alexand. Strom. 1. 6. Augujl. 
 
 Dial, de difecpt. Synag. & Ecclcs, 
 
 feh 
 
[ 73 1 
 
 r jerom. Ambros. 1. i. dc Abrah. Bel farm. 
 
 1. 2. dc eflcd:. Sacram. c. 20. & I. 2. dc 
 Ecclcs. Triumph, c. 27. S/xA Sinew. 
 Bibl. 1. 2. p. 1 1 5. Gretjer dc Cruce. c. 
 3 1 . firinus^ Eflius MaUlonat, Cornelius a 
 Lap'nle. 
 
 As the Septuagint, Sjmwacbus y Cypri- ( 5 ) 
 a//, Chryfojlome, Munjier, Luther, Juni- 
 us, CafakboHj Ffeiffer with the Rabbies 
 Jarki and AbarUneL 
 
 As Theodoret Queft. 42. Chryfoftom , 6 * 
 Homil. inGcn.Augufl in Faujium 1. 12. c. 
 12. Batricid. apud Hottinger. Smegm. 
 Orient, p. 223. 
 
 As Abenezra, Vat alius, Pfeiffer Dub. r 7 y 
 vex. s. Cent. 1. 1. 6. 
 
 Gen. 4. 26. Deut. 28. 10. Numbers. (8) 
 6. 27. 2 Sam. 6. 2. 2 Chron. 7. 14. 
 
 Ha. 43. 7. and 65. 1. Jer. 14. 9. Joel. 
 
 2. 32. Adts 2. 21. and 9. 14. 21. and 
 i). 17. Rom. 10. 12. 13. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 
 2. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Fxgius'm Paraph. Chald. 
 
 rm. Lucubrat. Franck. c. 1. P/Jcator 
 ad Gen. 4. 26. MalvenJ, and Amjivortb 
 ad Deut. 28. 10. & ad Num. 6. 27. 
 Buxtorf. ad 2 Sam. 6. 2. Grotius ad Gen. 
 ..). 26. and Joel. 2. 32. and A&s 2. 21. 
 and If. 47. 7. /.<?<?« jtfi/tf, Junius i Tremel- 
 lius, Vijcator, ad If. 65-. 1. Calvin. Tar- 
 
 L, de Dieu ad Joel z. 32. Caftaho, 
 
 Bt 
 
[ 74 1 
 Beza, Pifcator^ Grotzus, ad Ads 15', 17, 
 Calvin, ad 2 Tim. 2. 19. J. Vorflius Phii 
 Sa. P. He. 27. Hammond^ ad 1 Cor. r. 2. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Titatf tfc* Tranfpojitions of Words and 
 Phrafejj render the .Tranjlations 
 obfeure in many places y &c. 
 
 IT muft he granted by all, who have 
 the leaft Knowledge of the Origi- 
 nals of the Holy Scriptures, that they 
 contain feveral Tranfpofitions of Words, 
 and fometimes of whole Phrafes, which 
 indeed can occafton no great difficulty 
 to learned Men, who are acquainted 
 with the Stile of thofe Languages, and 
 frequently meet with fuch ways of 
 fpeaking in all forts of Authors ; but 
 when they are Translated into a Lan- 
 guage, which always exprefles things 
 in their natural order, thofe Words and, 
 Phrafes muft be fet in their proper pla- 
 ces, otherwife, they quite marr the 
 Senfe of the Text, or at leaft make it 
 obfeure and unintelligible to the general- 
 lity of Readers. 
 
 
[ 75 1 
 I. When, for avoiding Strife and 
 Contention, Abraham and Lot, had a- 
 preed to iepcrate from one another, 
 and Abraham had allowed Lot to chule 
 what part of the Country beft pleafed 
 him, The Text lays, that Lot lifted up 
 his Eyes , and beheld all the Plain 0/Jordap, 
 that it was well watered every where, 
 before the Lord deflroyd Sodom and 
 Gomorrah, even as the Garden of the 
 Lord, like the Land of ^Egypt, as thou. 
 comejl unto Zoar : where the Words 
 iccm to imply that the Plain of Jor- 
 dan was equal in fruitfulnefs with that 
 part of /fyypt, which lay towards Zo- 
 ar. But the meaning 'is that that part of 
 the Plain of Jordan that laytowards Zoar, 
 was equal in fruitfulnefs to the other 
 places mentioned in the Text. We 
 muft there give the Words this order, 
 And Lot lifted up his Eyes and beheld all the 
 plain of Jordan, as thou comefi unto Zoar, 
 that it was well watered every where, even 
 as the Garden of the Lord, like the Land of 
 /Egypt, before the Lord dcjlrcyed Sodom 
 and Gomorrah. 
 
 II. Every one knows what diftur- 
 bancc Hehidius, caufed in the Church 
 in St. Jercyns days ; by maintaining that 
 the Blejfed Virgin had Children to Jo~ 
 
 fepb 
 
X 76 ) 
 
 feph, after flie had Born our Saviour, 
 He grounded his Opinion on thefe 
 Words of St. Matthew ; And knew her 
 not i till (he had brought forth her fir (I 
 Bom. &„ Jerom, who flood up too 
 paflionately for Celibacy, opos'd Hel- 
 mdius with all his might, and let him 
 fee that the Word till did not at all imply 
 that Jofeph had known the Blefled Vir- 
 gin afterward, but on the contrary, that 
 it fignified that he did not know her at 
 all. To prove this, he adduces thofe 
 
 f§m.t$. places of Scripture where 'tis faid, That 
 Samuel came no more to fee Saul, //// the 
 clay of his Death, and that Michal the 
 
 % §am. 6. Daughter of Saul, had no more Children 
 ~3< till the day of her Death, which don'p 
 fignifie that Samuel faw Saul after his 
 Death, nor that Michal had Children af- 
 ter her Death, but on the ^contrary that 
 Samuel afterwards never faw Saul, And 
 that from that time Michal had had no 
 more Children. Butitfeems moreagre- 
 able to the Evangelijfs defign,to fuppofe 
 a Tranfpofition in this place, and to Tran- 
 slate it thus ; And took unto him his Wife^ 
 tillfhe had brought forth her fir ft Born Son 7 
 
 %*ersit\ but knew her ndt ; which plainly removes 
 
 $*,}. 4-5< £ h e Ambiguity-, as Heinfius has pb- 
 
 icrv'd, 
 
 III, The 
 
t 77 1 
 
 III. The fame Heinfius has obferved 
 that there is a Tranfpojition of Terms in 
 thai place of St. Matthew, where Cbrifi 
 forbids his Difaples to give that which is 
 holy unco Dogs, and to caft Pearls before A/ " 
 Swine, lead they fliould trample them 
 under their Feet, and turn again and 
 rent them ; and that it ihould be Tran* 
 Hated thus, Give not that which is hoi 
 unto Dogs, leaf I they turn again, and rent 
 y$u, and caft not Pearls before Swine (e A 
 they trample them, wider their Feet. WhicI* 
 
 is plain and natural and agrees very well 
 with the different natures of thefc dif- 
 ferent Creatures. 
 
 IV. What our Saviour fays ef 3<h*H*k& 
 the Baptift, But I fay unto you that Elias *-$. 
 is indeed come, and they have dene unto 
 
 him whatfoever they lifted \ as it is writ* 
 ten vf him, do's not fcem to be expreft 
 in the natural order of the Words : Fo? 
 we don't find that the Prophets have any 
 where made mention of the bad ufag£ 
 that John the Baptift was to meet Witfe 
 from Herod, and the Jews. Eufhywm 
 inded refers us to the Prophet Ifaiah, bu: 
 the Chapter he cites on the Margin does 
 not make the lead mention of him. Sow: 
 think that the Book that lpokc of him ?v 
 loft, or that vvc mull apply to John tbt 
 
Ex en it 
 
 $acr y p 
 
 [78] 
 
 *King.%i.Baptiftt and Herodias, what is faid iti 
 the Book of the Kings of Elijah andjeza- 
 heL But 'tis much more natural to ac- 
 knowledge that there is a Tranfpofttion in 
 thelVords, and that they are to be order- 
 ed thus, But I Jay unto you that Elias is 
 come already as it is written of him ; and 
 they have done unto him wfyatfoever they 
 lifted^ as Heinjius has obferved after R. 
 Stephanus, and adds farther that thefe 
 Words, and have done whatsoever they 
 lifted, were in feveral manuscripts, fliut 
 up in a Parenthejis. 
 Gram. Sac. V. Glajfms, after Gerhard, has difco- 
 P- 746. verec j a }jk e franfpofition of Words in the 
 Epijlle to Philemon, verfe 5. Hearing of 
 thy love and faith which tijou haft towards 
 the Lord J ejus, and toward all Saints. 
 But unlels we would leave a pretext to 
 Roman Catholicks for the Invocation 
 of Saints, we muft Tranflate with the 
 Gentlemen of the fort-Royal, who 
 can't be fufp&dted of favouring the Pro- 
 teflants ; Hearing of the Faith which 
 thou hajl towards the Lord Jejus Chrift± 
 and of thy Charity to all Saints, 
 
 VI. How much foever a Man may 
 be convinced of the Goodnels, Wifdom 
 and Juftice of God, he can't read what 
 the Tranflations make St, Peter fay to 
 
 the 
 
 'dftfi.13. 
 
[ 79 1 
 
 the Jews, without murmuring, and with- 
 out conceiving iome odd notion of the 
 Apojlie, who reproaches that Nation* 
 With the higheft impiety, and mod ex- 
 ecrable villany imaginable , for that 
 which was but but an Execution of the 
 exprefs Orders of the Will of God, of his 
 irrevocable purpoje, and absolute decree. 
 They make the Aprfile fpeak thus. 
 Him being delivered by the determinate # 
 Conned and foreknowledge of God, you 
 taken, and b) wide ids haze Crt ■- 
 cifitd and Slain. But, if we coniult the 
 Original, we fliall find that this inconfift- 
 ency is not to be attributed to the Apo* 
 file, but to the prejudices or negligence 
 of the Translators, who make the Apo- 
 (lle fpeak the quite contrary of what he 
 defigns. We mull obfervc that he does Para j^ 
 not make ule of the Verb % which ex- doonai. 
 prefles the Action of Judas, cr ue crime 
 of the Jews, in betraying of our Saviour 
 and delivering him to Ponii'S Pilate, 
 but of a participle, which denotes the KtC 
 gift and preicnt which God had made of 
 his Son to the Jews, to reclaim them from 
 their error and vice . So that the Words 
 fliould be thus rendered, Thai I >zi. r 
 taken him which had been given them 
 determinate Conned and fore knowledge of 
 
 rod 
 
r so j 
 
 God j they had Crucified and Slain him with 
 wicked Hands. And they contain the 
 fame reproach which we find in the fol- 
 lowing Chapter, of having deliver d up 
 ^ 3- l 1- Jefus, and denyed him in the presence of 
 Pontius Pilate when he was determined to 
 him let go,&c 
 ABs 4.27. VII. Nor are we lefs puzzl'd in read- 
 28 ° ing the Difcourfe of St. Peter and St. 
 John, as they are rendred by the Tran- 
 slations : For of a truth, againjl thy ho- 
 ly Child Jefus whom thou haft anointed? 
 loth Herod and Pontius Pilar, with the 
 
 t Gentiles , and the People of Ifrael were ga~ 
 there d together, for to do whatfoever thy 
 hand and thy Counfel determined before to be 
 done. But this is likewife occafioned by 
 the prejudices of the fame Tranflators, 
 which made them attribute' to God, a % 
 defign which he every where declares 
 he hates and abhors, and which the A- 
 fo/lles do only alcribe to the Devil, and 
 to thofe who fervid him as Instruments 
 to opprels and Crucify Jefus Chrifi. For 
 the Terms of theOriginal do plainly bear, 
 c That Herod and Pontius Pilat gathered 
 1 themfelves together, with the Gentiles, 
 c and People of Ifrael j a^ainft his holy 
 1 Child Jefus, whom he had anointed to 
 c do whatfoever his Power and Widow 
 
 had 
 
[8u] 
 
 had before determined to be done ; 
 the Gentlemen of the Port-Royal, who 
 cant be fufpedied in this matter, have 
 very well rendred it. We need butcevi- 
 fider, that this place is not prccifcly to 
 be underftood of the Death of Jeft 
 Chrifl, nor of the wicked Confpiracy of 
 Hero J ^ of Pilatj of the Gentiles, and of 
 the Jews, to put him to Death, as if that 
 had been predeftin'd and detcrmin d by 
 God's decree (for now Quill had b~cn 
 for ibmc time crucified) but of rho Per 
 f ccution of the Apo/tles and Cbrrftikti 
 Church, by all thofc Infidels ; fefos Qhrift 
 looking upon the Sufferings of his Dz- 
 jciples and Members, as his own, accor • 
 ding to What he himlclf fays to Paufc 
 when he pcrfecuted his Church, Saul,Sa 
 lvby perfecutejt thou met Tin's is eViddni 
 from the following part of this Difcourfe.; 
 for the Apoftles having fpoke of the iv.i- A - 
 raculous Cure of the Lame Man, and 
 of the prohibition of the Council of 
 the J. w to preach in the name of Jefits, 
 and of chclevercThrwatP.ings denounced 
 againit thole that fhould continue to 
 preach his Doltrine; aillUc dJfemMy unani- 
 moiiflv lifred up their voice, and pro- 
 nounced thofe words : Which ; 
 UieWs, that they fpoke offome part?ca- 
 
 G 
 
[ 82,] 
 
 lar Conspiracy againft themfelves. But 
 take it what way youpleafe, it willuot 
 admit of the common Explication that is 
 put upon it : «For it is not faid, that God 
 had appointed, that Herod, Ptlat, and 
 the reir, fhould have done what they did, 
 but at mod that they had done that 
 which God had determined to come to 
 pafs ; which are two things altogether 
 different. God, for example, has deter- 
 mined, that good Men muft enter into 
 the Kingdom of Heaven by crofles and 
 difficulties, but he has not determined or 
 appointed that the Wicked flioufd Per- 
 fecute tltem ; he has only left the Go- 
 vernment of the World in the hands of 
 thofe who are Enemies to his Religion, 
 Who by a deliberate malice, abufe that 
 Power, which has been given them, and 
 who perfecute that Religion, which op- 
 pofcs their Corruption and condemns 
 their wicked Pra&ifes. 
 
 VIII. When the Verfions make St. ?c- 
 t PitA.t-ter lay, That many did (fumhle at the word 
 leing difo&edient 9 whereunto alfo they were 
 appointed; we are tempted to believe, 
 that God has decreed that the wicked 
 ihould be Rebellious, and ftiould flum- 
 fcle at the Word ; and this indeed is the 
 opinion of thofe who follow this Tranffoo 
 
 tion* 
 
1 83 ] 
 
 ♦on. But befides that this would 
 ciifc their crime, and that this being fup- 
 poied, none could be called Ditbbedient, 
 fmcQ it were in vain for man to oppofc 
 himself to the will of God; it is JikeV ife 
 plainly contrary to the exprefs Declara- 
 tions of God in the Scriptures, whercirt 
 he protefts, nay, (wears too, that he 
 does not delight an the Deati of hmers t 
 that he wills that all Jhould be Javed and 
 cowe to the knowledge of the Truth ; and 
 that he ncgle&s frothing which is 
 fit and proper to be done, to bnrig 
 them to that happinefs which he defign d 
 them for. It had cerrainh then be much 
 more reaibnable, to have translated the 
 words of the Original otherwise than 
 to give them a meaning which is fi> in- 
 jurious to the Goodnels and Jultice of 
 God, and which may throw Sinnerr r 
 to defpair, and make thetn^altoget 
 nc^lcdt their Duty, The Apoibc mani- 
 fclily fpeaks of Uulelievcrs, and fiy% 
 that they {tumble at the word which n. 
 fered to them, or 3 which was put northern, 
 or, upon which the) were Jet \ for. the Ori- 
 ginal may admit of thofe three Tr^nfia- 
 tions. It is a | lain Allufion to thefc 
 that walk ? with ;cc ot 
 
 their way, or to B* ., who 
 G i 
 
[ 8 4 1 
 
 againfi the Materials that are given 
 them to build with ; for the Apoftle 
 had been comparing Jefus Chrift to a 
 corner-Hone, which the Builders had dif- 
 allow'd,and had become aftone of {tum- 
 bling, and a Rock of Offence to thofe 
 that did not believe. We rnuft there- 
 fore re&ifie the Tr^nfpofition that is in 
 the Original, which gives cccafion to 
 this dangerous Miftake, and Tranfiate 
 With the syriack Verjwn ; being dtjoled;- 
 ent y they jiumlle at the Word, which was 
 offered uton them, or, tho it was offered 
 unto them' 
 
 IX. Lucas Brugenjis^nd Maldonat, have 
 
 U[ atf 2. obferved a MkoJrattjpofition in thele words 
 16. of St. Matthew, that when Jefus was Bap' 
 fixed, he went up ftraight-waj out of the 
 water ; and lo the Heavens were opened 
 unto him, &c. For it is plain, that the 
 word Straightway fliould be placed after 
 thele words, and io ; as is evident from 
 
 Mark i . g t> jtf ar ^ w l 10 f a y S ^ anc i ftraightway 
 
 L " coming out of water, or, as foori as he 
 came out of the water, he faw the Hea- 
 vens opened. In effedt, why fliould St. 
 Matthew have obferv'd, that Jefus came 
 ftraightway out of the water, after he 
 was Baptiz'd ; for what fliou'd he have 
 done there, after he was Baptiz'd ? This 
 
[ 8j ] 
 
 Rcfle&ion were altogether ufclefs ,• but 
 it was very much to the purpofe, and 
 even neeeffary too, to take notice, that 
 as loon as he had come out of the water, 
 the Heavens were opened to him at the 
 fame inftant, and that he law the Spirit 
 like a Dove defcepding upon him. We 
 muft therefore Tranflatc, And Jefuswhen 
 he was baptized, went up out of the water, 
 and lofiraightway the Hcauens were open- 
 ed unto him, &c. 
 
 X. Several /earned Men have remarked 
 a very important Tranlpofition of Terms ^ 
 in the t>> k of Revelations, where all the 
 Verfions, except that of Cqftalio % make 
 St. John evidently contradict the Apoflle 
 to the Hebrews, making the one lay, that R e v.\ \?\ 
 the Lamb was (lain from the foundation of 8. 
 the World, whereas the other declares Hch 
 exprefly, That Ctirift has not offered him- % e y %6 t 
 Jeff often ; that he has not fufferedofem$> 
 Jince the foundation of the Worlds that he 
 has appeared but once in the end of the 
 World, to put away fin, by the Sacrifice of 
 himje/f; and that he Was once offered, to 
 bear the fins ofntanyltis truc,thatto jultifie 
 the expre/fion of St. J-hn, it is laid, than 
 his moaning was not, that the Lamb was 
 ;id:ua!ly llain from the foundation of the 
 World, but only that it was llaia in, cha 
 G \ l)£- 
 
[86] 
 Decree of God \ or in the Sacrifices, and in 
 die -Types which did prefigure him ; or 
 in fo tar as the vercue of his Sacrifice did 
 extend to the founder ion of the Woild; 
 But if they would have this to be the 
 meaning of St. feh»'$ Expreffion, they 
 ihould at leaft have rendered it fointhe 
 Tranflations, that the People, who com- 
 monly ire net very able to diftinguifn, 
 might fina nocc£aJtoij to be puzzl'd in 
 comparing thofe two Texts together. 
 Bat i: is ivmch more natural, to put the 
 wons of St. Jo/ f in another order, and 
 tranflate ikpvo. thus; And all that dwell 
 -upon Earth wjqfe names are not from the 
 foundation of the \foxld A writ in the Book 
 of the Lamh jiai'u fbsfl worjhip him ; as 
 appears by another paflage of the Tame St; 
 John^ where he fays, That they that dwell 
 on Earth \whofe names are not written in the 
 look, of Life f/sm the foundation oftheWorld y 
 d«, -i ofhafl wonder when tkev behold the Bead that 
 wa$ 9 and is ngt, and yet is. 1 could give a 
 great rr.any more iaftaaces of iiich Tranf- 
 pofiticiiSjbut th-cTe are fuificiepjC to prove? 
 that they often render the fenfe obfeure/ 
 XI. There are fome Parents fo fc- 
 verc and cruel to their Children, as not 
 to obferve any meafurs or bounds in 
 punifning of them, and they thinly it 
 
 ihtit 
 
[ 8 7 ] 
 their Duty too, to have no Pity upon Prov - ] 9- 
 thei laic ionic Veriions make; So- 18 ' 
 
 , Qhajlen thy Son while there is 
 hope, and let net thy Soul [pare for his crv- 
 ing. out it is moft evident to thole that 
 have any tollcrabie skill in the Hebrew ( * ; 
 Tongue, that the latter Part of the Verfe 
 Ihouldbc render' d thus, but fuficr not thy 
 J elf to he Tr wj ported, to cauje him to dye 9 
 as feveral Tranflators and Commentators 
 have Translated it. 
 
 There is none that can read Jephtha sjudgaxi: 
 vow and the Execution of it, as moft 3 °' 3IjC ^' 
 Tranflations cxpreis and reprefent it y 
 without horrour and amazement. To 
 find a Man, and that not a wild Barbari- 
 an : but an IJraelite, offering in a burnt 
 offering, a young and Innocent, and, no 
 doubt, Beautiful and Vcrtuous Maid ; 
 To find a fond and indulgent Father 
 burning the Fruit of his own Body ; his 
 only Child, nay, and his dutiful and obe- 
 dient Child too ; the objed: of his pre- 
 lent comforts and future hopes ; To find ^t, Xi 
 him whom the Apoftlc lifts, in the Cata- 
 logue of the moil Pious and Faithful wor- 
 thies of the Old Teftamcnt vowing to of- 
 fer a Humane Sacrifice to God, at the ve- 
 ry time wherein the Scripture lays, the 
 G 4 Spirit 
 
Z^o 
 
 [ 8 8 ] 
 Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and 
 putting his vow afterwards in Execution, 
 thq humane Sacrifices were hateful and 
 ^ abominable to the Lord, provoked him 
 .'^ *"" utterly to deftroy the Canaanttes, and 
 kindled his Indignation againll the Isra- 
 elites^ when they brought the King of 
 ~~ >' Moah to the (ad nece/Tity of ojfer/jg his 
 Eldeft Son for a burnt offering upon the Wall 
 of his City ; I fay, to find all this is ve- 
 ty puzzling and unaccountable. But it 
 is very firange that Tranflators fhould 
 have render'd' feveral Paffoges of this 
 vqw in favour of luch a Cruel and Bar- 
 barous fenfe ; especially ours, who knew 
 that the woccjs could very well admit of 
 a very different and reafmable meaning; 
 as may be feen by the Notes they have 
 fet down, on the Margin of the 31 and 
 ( ' 40 Veries of chat Chapter. It can't be 
 denyed, but that the word which is ren- 
 der'^! and, figrnfies cr ? in a great many 
 places of Scripture. A certain Dr. fays, 
 that it cannot be fb taken here, But till 
 lie give his reafon, I humbly beg leave 
 to differ from him, -I believe he thinks 
 with M'r. fooly whom he feems to have 
 cpnfuked on the words, that the proprie- 
 ty of Speech-will not admit of Tranfla- 
 ting or for and in this place. But neither 
 
 Feci 
 
[ «9 1 
 nor the Dr. had thought fo, if they 
 had condaer d that the words, fhall be 
 I A, fhould be more properly rcn- 
 dcr'd, fhall be Conjecrated to the Lord, i. 
 c. Dedicated and fet apart for Gods fpe- 
 cial iervice as Uazarens were. And that 
 it is in iiich a fenle as this, that Jephtha is 
 (aid to have done according to his Vow, is 
 clear, becaufe it is immediately fubjoyn- 
 ed, And Jhe knew no Man ; For if flic was 
 Sacrificed juft as fhe came down from the 
 Mount, this expre/Tion is altogether fu- 
 pcrfluous, becaufe it is plain enough 
 from her bewailing of her Virginity for 
 three Months, that fhe had known no 
 Man before ; and it was very certain, 
 that fhe could know no Man after. So 
 that it is very natural to underftand the 
 words thus, That Jephtha according to 
 his Vow had fet apart his Daughter for 
 Godsfpccial Service, and that fhe conti- 
 nued unmarried, tnaC Jhe might be more ( 3 ) 
 careful of the things which be/cng unto the 
 1 >-d, which will more fully appear, if we 
 confidcr that the words which is ren- 
 tier' d to lament in the following Vcrfe, sig- 
 nifies alio to talk with. But againft this 
 it is laid, that Parents had no Power to 
 oblige their Children to a fingle Life, To 
 which I Anfwer, 
 
 x. That 
 
f9°] 
 
 i. That this objection militates more 
 againft the other Opinion. For if the 
 Want of right to do a thing be an Argu- 
 ment that that thing is not done, then 
 the more Degrees of Injuftice and Un- 
 lawfulnefs there is in any thing, the more 
 boldly we may conclude, that it has not 
 been done. So that if it follow, that 
 Jephtha did not oblige his Daughter to 
 perpetual Virginity, becaufe he had no 
 juft Power to do fo, then it is mod evi- 
 dent that he did not Sacrifice her, hecaufq 
 fuch an A&ion was Impious and Barba- 
 rous, and contrary to the Laws of God, 
 of Nature and of Humanity. 
 
 z. Jephthai not having a right to 
 oblige his Daughter to perpetual Virgi- 
 nity, only proves that he ftiould not have 
 done it, and not that he did it not. For 
 he might have thought he had a right, 
 <or out of blind Zeal fancied himfelf 
 obliged to perform his inconfiderate and 
 unlawful VoWo And it is much more 
 reafonable to fuppofe this, than to ima- 
 gine him to have been (o grofiy Ignorant, 
 as not to have known the Barbaroufnefs 
 and Impiety of human Sacrifices, - or fo 
 very flupidly Zealous as to have per- 
 formed, io abominable an A&ion, if he 
 could have been capable of vowing it 
 But then, 3. 1 
 
 • 
 
 
 ta 
 
3. It can't be proved, that Fathers had 
 not iiich a right under the Law. Tis 
 plain that they had a Power to Dedicate 
 their Children to Gods peculiar Service, 
 and to oblige them to feveral thing$,fome- 
 what uneafy to Fleih and Blood. 'Tis 
 likewife plain, that Fathers were to de- 
 termine, what was reafonable for their 
 Children, while under their Care, to 
 vow and promife ; becaufc the vows 
 made by fuch Children ilgnified nothing 
 without the Fathers confent, but that if 
 the Father did allow them, Every ^w Number*; 
 and Bond with which they bound their Soul 10. 4, j* 
 was to fland. From which it appears, 
 that Parents might advife their Children 
 to reafonable vows, and, with their con- 
 fent, bind them to any thing th?.t was not 
 unlawful, and that if the Father did vow 
 rjitlany thing in Name of his Child, which 
 jfel the Child did not agree to, that then the 
 Father was forgiven ; as the Children 
 were when their vows were difallowed 
 by their Father, which is fufficient to 
 Anfwer this Objc&ion. 
 
 But 'tis laid further, that if this had 
 : been all that Jephtha vow'd, he had not 
 peflbccn ib much troubled as he was, when 
 if In his return his Daughter met him, for 
 , 7 lit is faid, He rent his Cloatbs, and Jaid^ 
 il 
 
alas my Daughter, thou haft brought me very 
 iow,and thou art one of them that trouble me. 
 But they that think fo, feem to be ftran- 
 gers to the Old Teftament Notions, and 
 Gefl.30. to humane nature. It appears from leve* 
 a Sam 1 ra ' P' aces °f r ' ie Old Teftament that the 
 £7. bwing without Children, and confequent- 
 Vk.4i„ [y perpetual Virginity wais look'd upon 
 as a curfe and reproach, and how defirous 
 Men are to fee their Pofterity increafe, is 
 very evident. So that it is no way 
 flrange to find Jephtha troubled and ren- 
 ting his Cloaths, when his only Child 
 was to Jive and dye under this reproach, 
 when he law his Family almoft extinct, 
 and himfelf excluded from all hopes of 
 Pofterity, and particularly from the hopes 
 of having the Mejftah to come of his 
 Seed. 
 
 As for the Story of Ephigma r 'tis dif- 
 ferently related, and if her being laid 
 to be Sacrificed, prove that lephthas 
 Daughter was Sacrificed ; Her being re- 
 lieved by Diana, Proves that (he was on- 
 ly obliged to perpetual Virginity : But 
 the truth is, nothing of certainty can be 
 concluded from fuch darl; and obfcure 
 Fables. r 
 
 Nor am I much mov'd to find that Jv~ 
 [eph(s o rbjl^t\d all the Fathers are for the 
 
 common. 
 
t 93 ] 
 common Notion. For tho' I have as 
 great a veneration for the Ancients as 
 any, yet, I am not for following them 
 blindly. It is very probable, that the 
 Fathers belicv'd fo on the Tcftimony of 
 thele two Jews, and fo fhould I too, if 
 they had any certain tradition to build 
 their aflcrtion on. But fince they wane 
 this, it's to be look'd upon as their Pri- 
 vate Opinion, for which we are to have 
 no greater value than the reaibns which 
 they give for it do defcrve. The Fathers 
 were too much wedded to the vifions 
 and fancies of the Jews, and efpecially o£ 
 Jofephus and Phi/b, which often bcrta\ ed 
 thertl into the belief of ievcral ridiculous 
 whims, and particularly of that fenfelefs 
 Opinion of the Angels begetting Giants 
 With the Women that were before the de-* 
 luge ; which they took to be the meaning 
 of thofe words, in Ge;rft$ y That the Sons 
 of God went in into the Daughters of Men! 
 From what hath been laid, I think 'tis 
 Very rcaibnable to conclude, that Jepbtha 
 did not Sacrifice his Daughter, and that 
 part of that Chapter is thus to be Tran-^ 
 flared. Then the Spirit of the Lord came 
 upon Jephtha, and he paffed over Gilead) 
 and Manafleh, and pa fed over Mifpeh of 
 Gilead, and jrom Mifpch of Gilead be 
 
 paffeJ 
 

 I 94l 
 
 faffed over unto the Children of Ammon; 
 And Jephtha vowed a vow unto the Lord, 
 andfatd, If thou fhalt without fail deliver 
 the Children of Amnion into my hands, 
 (4) Then it fball be that whatfoever cometh out 
 of the Door of my Houfe to meet me, when 
 J return in fe ace from the Children of Am- 
 ino*, that I will confecrate it to the Lord, 
 or I will offer it up for a burnt offering-- - 
 So Jephtha faffed over unto the Children of 
 Ammoh to fight againfl them, and the 
 Lord delivered them into his hand. — »And 
 Jephtha came to Mifpeh to his houfe, and 
 behold his Daughter cam$ out to meet him 
 with Timbrels and with Dances, and fhe 
 was his only Child 1 Be fide her he had 
 neither Son nor Daughter — And it came to 
 pafs when he faw her , that he rent his 
 cloaths andfaidy Alas my Daughter tholt 
 hafl brought me very low, thou art one of 
 thofe that trouble me : For I have opened my 
 mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. 
 — And it came to pafs at the end of two 
 months that fhe returned to her Father, who 
 did unto her according to his vow, and /he 
 continued unmarried. And it was a cuflom 
 in Ifrael, That the Daughters of Ifrael went 
 yearly to talk with the Daughter 0/Jephtha 
 tie Gileadite, four days in a year. 
 
 it 
 
l9S] 
 It is truly ftrange to confidcr that 
 Tianflators, when a lexi is capable of 
 two different fenfes, do generally chufe 
 that which is lcaft agreeable to realbu 
 and the Analogy of Faith, and that they 
 fhould contend lb hotly for that lenlc 
 which is lyable to a great many excepti- 
 ons, and is iomctimcs Impious and Pro- 
 fane, when the words do very well ad- 
 mit a moll Pious and Reaibnable mean- 
 ing ; as they have done in this and feve- 
 fal other places of Scripture. Thofe 
 who are plcaicd carefully to read our 
 Tranfiation, will often find that the Mar- 
 ginal Not£, is better than the Expreffiori 
 which is kept in the body of the Text, 
 and likewiie that the Original may bear 
 a better meaning than is given it in ei- 
 ther. 
 
 Jnnotations on Chap. VII. 
 
 (I J HT^HuS the Vulgar Lathi, CbaU 
 
 § ^eParaphrafc, Pagnin, Leon 
 
 JuJa % Fat alius, Junius and Tremellius , 
 
 MercertP/Jcatorfieyerfa. have rendred it. 
 
 (%.) The 
 
I 96} 
 
 (z.) The Particle Van is not conjun* 
 iftive here, but disjunctive ; as it is like- 
 wife Gen. x. 6. Exod, i. io. and v. fi 
 and xi. 15. 17. Deut.iy. 9. /JQ. 7. 6. 
 and in leveral other plaees. 
 
 (3.) The Hebrew Verb Thanah, fig- 
 nifies fometimes tofpeakor difcourfe to- 
 gether, as may be ieen Judges j. 11. 
 
 ( 4.J See Jofeph dW David Kimki^ Le- 
 wi Ben-Gerjon, and Solomon Ben Melech^ 
 De Lyra, Junius and Tremellius, B. 2ig- 
 ler, BrentiuS) Chytraus, Ofiander^ Fran* 
 tius de Interpret. S.OracL 71. L. Ca- 
 pelL de vot. Jephthaz^ Mar/bam , Canon 
 JEgypii S.ix. G. 3. Saubertus de Sacrifciis 
 c.xi. p. 516, Schedius de Diis German 
 ix,c.3i. 
 
 CHA£. 
 
[97 1 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Literal Verfions are often fo 
 bbfeure, that the People under- 
 Jlands nothing of them. 
 
 I. r a MIE different Explications 
 J^ which the Learned'ft In- 
 terpreters often give of the fame 
 Text, is too evident a proof of the 
 obfeurity of the Tranflations : And be- 
 sides, we can fcarce open the Bible with- 
 out finding feveral Examples, to con- 
 vince us of the fame. One,for Example, 
 can hardly make a riddle more intricate 
 andobfeure, than the words which the 
 Verfions put m the mouth of the Idu- 
 maran Watch-man, Jfaiab. n, n. Tbe 
 Morning cowetb, and alfo the Night, if 
 ye will enquire \ enquire ye : return, tome. 
 Thefe words have no fenfc in them, 
 and never did Heathen Oracle give a 
 more dark Refponfe. Whereas the ('•} 
 prophet tells plainly, that the Watch- 
 man faid, The Morning is corns, and the 
 Night aljo . tbo\ye enquire jo impatiently 
 ye (kail certainly return again 5 as they 
 
 w ho 
 
CO 
 
 (».J 
 
 fsO 
 
 the Original may 
 
 puz- 
 and 
 
 2. 2. 
 
 C 98 ] 
 
 who underftand 
 eafily fee. 
 
 II. Interpreters are ftrangely 
 zl'd, with what our Tranflation, 
 fome others, makes Mojes fay, Gen. 
 And on the j eve nth day God ended bis 
 work) which be had made. This difficulty 
 feem'd fo material to the Lxx, and to 
 the Syrian and Samaritan Interpreters, 
 that they put in the number fix, in the 
 place of the feventh; and Ludovhus, 
 Capelhs, and Father Monnus , have 
 made no fcruple to prefer their Verfion. 
 to the Hebrew Text. The R. R. are 
 no lefs put to it, to juftify the Truth of 
 the Original, feveral of them giving 
 the Words the feveral following Expli- 
 cationstThat God made thefeventhDay. 
 that the feventh day he communicated 
 motion and aftion to the things he had 
 created the preceding days. That the 
 feventh day he knew they were ended, 
 and to add no more, that the Words 
 ihould be rendered . The feventh day he 
 defired his Works, i.e. heartily purpofed 
 to prcferve them. Nor are the Chri- 
 ftian Do&ors more unanimous. Some 
 think God that gave the finifhing flroke 
 to his Works on the feventh day, to 
 prevent the toofuperftitiousobfervation 
 
 of 
 
C 99 3 
 of it. Others, that the words fhould be 
 tianflaied, On the feventh day he 
 relkd from his works- but the Hebrew 
 Verb can't be fo taken in this place, as 
 the Learned do know. Some, as Ca- C 4. ) 
 tkarinus, imagine, that Eve was created 
 the feventh day, contrary to the exprefs 
 Words of MefeSj Gsn. 1/27. Others 
 under/land the feventh day exclullve, 
 with Rabbi Simeon Ben Jochai, and 
 fome other Ralbins, mentioned by 
 Manaffeb Ben. IfraeJ. But 'tis really 
 ftrange , that fo many Learned Men, 
 have been fo much puzzTd with fuch 
 a plain and eake paflage, which fhould 
 be tranflated , And the feventh day 
 God had ended his Work$, which he had 
 made, ( which is as much as to fay, that 
 the feventh day there remained nothing 
 to be made ) as the greateft Mailers of 
 the Hebrew Tongue do acknowledge. 
 
 III. Nor are the Verfions, lefs ob- 
 fcure, in renewing what God fays to 
 Cain, Gen. 4. 7. The Vulgar Latm 
 tranllates the firlt part of the Verfe, // 
 thou doji well, jha/t thou net rtccivc ? viz. ct 
 
 Reward. The Calaee Paraphrafe, &c. 
 (halt thou not be ftriorid ? Ours, (bolt 
 thou not he accepted? Others as Nach 
 amides Thou (bait be elevated im 
 H i Digmt) J 
 
 (5.) 
 
( ioo } 
 Dignity s becaufe the Hebrew Word 
 is taken in this fenfe in fome places of 
 Scripture. And it can't be deny'd, but 
 that this laft interpretation is moft na- 
 tural, and comes neaireft the Original 
 But if we confider what God fays to 
 Cain, in the two foregoing Verfes, 
 J hat his Countenance was fallen t we (hall 
 fee, that he promifes him, that it he did 
 well, he fhouid have his Face lifted up, 
 and that he fhouid have no nicre 
 reafon to be fad-;The Scripture often ex- 
 prefling a fearlefs and che&rfiU State, by 
 this way of fpeaklng* If iniquity be in 
 thine band, fays one of Job's Friends, put 
 it away from thee - a*d let not IVicke&iefs 
 dwell in thy Tdbernades^for then (halt thou 
 lift up thy face without Motjcfo. 1 1 « i J And 
 the fame Expreffion is ufed tcr mark 
 **•'' * the fanie thing in feveral other places. 
 
 But that which follows, That other- 
 Tvjfe Sin lyes at his door, is no lefs ob- 
 jfcure * for fome think the meaning i$, 
 that Cain fhouid be miftaken if he 
 thought that he lhould have Authority 
 over hisBt other if he did evil-others.that 
 if hedid evil, his Sin fhouid follow him 
 at the heels,and prefent it felf always to 
 him, to torment him, like a dog lying 
 before a door . or like a Cerberus, or 
 
 v beaft 
 
 T«- 
 
 
C ioi ] 
 
 beaft of prey. Some think itfighifies Cr-J 
 t] . entof Sin, as in fome other 
 
 pla Scripture, and others the de- 
 
 fignolki] .Brother, which they 
 
 think was a neceflary conlSquentof his 
 living Wickedly. But 'tis evident, asob. aJ 
 the Learned Light/opt obferves, that G < n - 4> 
 God did not prefent himfelf to 
 Cain, to fright him, hut to encou- 
 rage him, as the firft .Words he ad- 
 dreffes to him do ceftify. And the 
 bare defcription of lying at the' door, 
 does plainly enough infinuate, that the 
 Text does not fpeak either of a mifhke, 
 or Sin, or Punifliment, but of a Sa- 
 crifice for Sin, which the Scripture of- 
 ten calls by the Hebrew Word here 
 ufed, and which was commonly placed C* I 
 before the door of the Sanduary, as may 
 be icen in many places of Scripture. 
 
 Nor is the laft part of this Sentence 
 more clear, or better underftood by 
 the moft of Interpreters. And unto thee 
 lhall be bis dtfire, and tpoit (b.:lt rule 
 ever him. The mo ft part of the Rab- 
 bins, Roman-Catholicks , and Luther- 
 rans, think the meaning is, that Cain 
 tho' he did evil, Ihould not lofe his 
 free-will, nor the powei of abftaining 
 ftom Sin, and confequently that h; 
 H ? die 
 
(io) 
 
 C 102 ] 
 might ft ill We dominion over it ■. for fo 
 they render the Words. Others ima- 
 gine they ngnify, that it was Cains 
 Duty, to endeavour with all his might, 
 to fubdue Sin, becaufe of the ftrong in- 
 clinations he had to it. But the trtae 
 meaning is, that if Cain made good 
 ufe of the inftrudions and affurances 
 which God had been pleafed to give him, 
 Abel fhould come to him as to x rtfage,and 
 fubmit himftlj to his Authority . in the 
 fame fenfe as God fays to Eve . that her 
 defire fnouidbe to her Husband^ u e. that 
 fje/houldgo to him, for fhelter and pro- 
 tection, as ^to a Sanlluary, as the Lxx 
 have very well rend er'd it. 
 
 V. All the Verfions make Cain fpeak 
 like one in defpair, Gen. 4. 1 3 . The vul- 
 gar Latin makes him fay . My iniquity is 
 greater than that I floould merit , or obtain 
 pardon : And the French Vcrfion, and 
 Ours, My iniquity is greater than 1 can 
 bear. For tho' the Hebrew Verb does 
 fometimes fignify to bear or fupport, yet 
 when it is join'd to the Word which we 
 render Iniquity or Treachery^ it always 
 fignifies to be pardoned fit to chain pardon. 
 As may be feen in (everal places of Scrip- 
 ture . and R. Mardoche Nathan fets 
 this Text^mong the Examples, wherein 
 
 'tis 
 
C 103 3 
 
 lib to be taken in this fenfe. Tis like- 
 wife the meaning which the Lxx, and 
 ( aldeeParaphrafe havegiveriit.Butwhy 
 
 Ihoukl not we tranflate with, Jarchi and 
 feveralRabbins,// »?> iniquity greater than, 
 that it can be far cloned? This has nothing 
 contrary to the (ignification of the 
 Words of the Original, and agrees 
 :a&ly to the anfwer which God 
 gave him, and which he likewife back'd 
 with a miraculous fign, to allure him 
 of his protection, as has been fhewed 
 before, in correcting the tranflation of 
 ^\-\ic 15 of the fame Chapter. 
 
 VI Some Verfionshave not been exact 
 fcnough , in rendring what Mofes re 
 marks of theBehaviour of thole who were 
 in Authority an Age before the 
 Deluge; making him fay, That the Sons 
 of God fav the Daughters of Men, that 
 they were fair, and they teok^t hem Wives 
 of all which they chofe. This gave vo- 
 cation to that extravagant opinion ot ( 
 feveral Jewifli Writers, followed by 
 fome Fathers of the Church, ^/'c. Th.it 
 Angels had come down to the Earth , 
 and taken to thenifelves Wives, with 
 whom they begot a Generation of 
 Gyants : And to that no Lefs extravagant 
 Fancy of others f who imagii 
 
 H 4 that 
 
 (l: 
 
C ip4 3 
 
 that the Sons of God did (Signify th? 
 
 Devils But it was eafie to have obfer- 
 vedjthatthe Word Elohim often fignifiel 
 no more than a Judge, or Soveraign, or 
 a perfon invefted with Authority, as 
 the beft Interpreters do acknowledge ; 
 and that as the Hebrew does exprefs the 
 inferiour fort of People, by the Sons of 
 Men \ fo the Daughters of Mep, fignifie 
 no more than the Daughters of the in« 
 feriour fort. It mult have been ob- 
 ferved further, that the Verb Labach 
 cjoes not only fig ai{y so tafe 9 here, and 
 . in feveral other places, but to take h 
 
 l** force, orfurprife, or to ravifh, and that 
 this Behaviour is called a Violence, ver. 
 ii. 1 5. which provoked God to fend a 
 Deluge on the Earth. Mofts defign 
 then, is to aggravate the VVickednefs of 
 that Age, by (hewing that thofe who 
 were in Authority, and confequently 
 ihould have been exemplary for Vertue 
 and Piety, were nothing but Patterns of 
 Luft and Violence : So that the Words 
 ffrould be render'd. 7 hat the Sons, of the 
 Sever argns feeing that theDaugbters of ike 
 
 ( ?4«) inferiour fort were fait , they took them by 
 force & raviftfd thereat their f leaf ureses 
 fome Verfions and Interpreters liave ex- 
 preft them. 
 
 VII, The 
 
C 105 ] 
 VII. The mod pare of the Expreffious 
 which reprefent GodVdealing towards 
 men , or their good or bad Beha- 
 viour towards God, are borrowed from 
 amftaiices and bodily Actions of 
 the fVntient patriarchs. AsGod was plea f- 
 ed to lead them after an extraordinary 
 manner, and even to give them his An- 
 gela to be their Guides in their Jour- 
 neys, there is nothing more common, 
 thanto find his commands, and theirBe* 
 haviour,reprefented by terms, whichpro- 
 perly fignifie Ways, Paths and tootjteps, 
 or to march and nt*/4But fince thefe Me- 
 taphors are not mi d in our Eng» 
 lijb Tongue, they can't be left in a verli- 
 on, without occafioning fome obfeurity, 
 and giving Notions to the moft of Rea- 
 ders, which are not anfwerable enough 
 to the defign of the Sacred Writers. 
 The Faithful, lor Example, are often 
 reprefented, Wai nth Gcd, after ( k,-) 
 God j in the prefer.ee of Qod^ in the ways of 
 the Lord^ or walking in the tight may. in 
 the Law of God t in the j ear of God^ in inte- 
 grity », in rrgbteomfnefi and good worl^, &c. 
 
 On the contrary, the wicked are repre- 
 fented, as not walking with Gad, net in 
 
 his :r..:.v, nor Laws, but walking in the 
 map of tmrighteoufntfs Cfc^ to expre * 
 
 the. 
 
£jo6 ] 
 
 the Obedience of the one, and theDif- 
 obedience of the other to the Divine 
 Laws. Thefe Metaphors therefore 
 (hould be rendered by ibme Circumlo- 
 cution, which does plainly and fully ex. 
 prefs their Senfe and Meaning, as the 
 Lxx, the Jerufalem and Cala'ee Para- 
 phrafes, and the Syriack and Arabick 
 22. 24! Verfions have done. For this we have 
 Heb.11.5. like wife the Authority of the Apoftle 
 to the HtlrewSj who not finding the 
 expreffion of Walking with God which 
 Mofes imploys, clear enough, makes 
 life of that of 'pleating God. Such a Tran- 
 flation would leave no room for the 
 ridiculous Interpretations of feveral 
 RabbinSjfome of which Dream that this 
 C16.) expreffion fignifies, that God taught 
 Enoch the Art of Supplying fome Days 
 that were wanting in the Year, by In- 
 tercalating a whole Month in the Year, 
 from time to time ; others, that it figni- 
 fies, to give onesfelf over to be lead by 
 God by the hand, like a Child that is 
 not able to walk alone; and others, in 
 fine, that it fignifies to live in Solitude ; 
 Jntekgcm. which Opinion has been Adopted by 
 J.Bouldacj who makes Enoch the Grit 
 Patriarch of the Minims. But the true 
 meaning of. the Words of the Origni- 
 nal ; is, that Enoch's Practice was mll$lt** 
 
C '07 ] 
 
 fing to C^-theScripturc apply ingaTenn 
 w h ich lignihcs to march px walkj.0 Actions 
 and CunomSj that are performed with- 
 out any action or motion of body, accord- ^ r ^ h 
 ing to the judicious remark oiMaimonidts. i. c. 24. f« 
 
 \ III. The Unlearned can fcarce read 1 - 
 the following Texts, without imagining 
 that they are to be understood of Houfes 
 and Buildings. And it came to pafs that 
 lecaufe the M/dwives feared God, that he Ix< 
 made thcmHouJes.So Jball it be done to the De ^- **« 
 Man that will not build up his Brothers Ruth 4. ^. 
 houfe.TheLordmakj? thefVoman that is come 1 Sam. r. 
 into thineHoufedike Rachel and Leah avhich &' 
 two did Build up the Hottfe of Ijrael . IwiU z7 . 
 luild a jure Houfeto 'my Priefl. I will 
 Build thee a Hottfe, &c. Nay, the 
 Learned too are puzzl'd about the 
 meaning of this Expreifion, as appears 
 from their different explications of the 
 firft of thefe Texts . fome with Fagius^ 
 imagining that the IfraeUtes^ out of 
 Gratitude to the Egyptian Midwr 
 for preferving their Children, did make 
 Houfes for them. Others,that Pharaoh 
 Built particular Houfes for them, to 
 which the Hebrew Women were toe 
 to be delivered, in prefence of the 
 Commiifioners appointed to examine 
 whither the Children were Males or 
 Females : And fome with R. Bechai, 
 
 that 
 
[ xo8 ] 
 that Pharoah fet Guards over the ]fra- 
 dites^ whofeHoufeswere to Joyn to 
 thefe of the Hebrew Women that were 
 Big with Child. But if the TranfU- 
 tours had coniidered that this is a He- 
 braifm y which almoft always fignifies to 
 give, beget, or bring forth Children, 
 and had render'd it fo in all thefe 
 Places, there is none but would ealliy 
 underftand the meaning of them. Our 
 Tranflatours, after the Septuagint, have 
 rendered it thus. Gen. 16. 2. and 30. 3. 
 And I am perfwaded that thofe that are 
 moft paflionate for a literal Tranflation, 
 will acknowiedg, that they (hould 
 have done fo too , in all the forecite4 
 Texts, unlefs they would likewife 
 keep in a Tranflation, the Names of 
 Father, Mother and Daughters, which 
 are given in Hebrew to great Cities, to 
 fmall Towns and Villages depending 
 on them, and to their Founders ^ 
 which were Ridiculous.^ We mult 
 therefore Tranflate, And it came to pafs, 
 that becaufe theMidivives feared the Lord, 
 he gave them Children. So Jba/2 it be 
 done to the Man that will not raife up 
 Children to his Brother, &c. 
 
 Gen. 19. ix. All the Verfions fay ; that^tt. 
 
 *(i 7 \ Wife became a Pillar $f Salty And as 
 
 -6 
 
[ 109 J 
 
 Jofepbus affures us that it was to be (tew 
 in his Time, and that feveral Modern 
 . oilers Relate that it is itill to be 
 feen between Mount Engaddi y and the 
 DeadSea \ Interpreters do obferve,that 
 we niuft not take the Salt here menti- 
 oned for common Salt, but for a Metal- 
 lick Salt, which was heVvn out of the 
 Rock, like Marble, and was made ufe 
 of to Build Houfes, according to the 
 Tcftimony of feveral Famous Authors. 
 But fince by the word Salt, we always 
 understand common Salt, which Water 
 foon diublves, and could not continue 
 fo long, being expofed to Wind and 
 Rain, The word Metallick fhould have Eod » de 
 been Joyn'd with Salt in a Verfidn, to^' 
 take away the Ambiguity. This made 
 Vatab/us-&n& Boditms to take this expref- 
 fion in a Metaphorical fenfe, as a firm 
 or lure Covenant is called a Covenant ^Numb.i«. 
 Sdlt, And it teems this fenfe fhould be/chr. ij, 
 expreffed in a Translation, to give nor 
 advantage to Atbeifls and Liber this. 
 We may I ike wife obferve, that the 
 Particle 4* is often to be fupplied, when 
 the Scripture affirms fomething of ano- 
 ther, which is not abfolutely of the 
 fame Nature. As when the Angel 
 iorctek to H*gar that lfm*eljbo*l& he *cen. \c 
 
 Wild-*** 
 
C no 3 
 
 Wild-Afs-Man. This expreffion, in a 
 Tranflation, would be Barbarous and 
 Unintelligible . and therefore the Ge- 
 neva, Verfion has rendered it, He (ball 
 be like for as) a Wild Afs ; and ours, 
 He fba/l be a Wild Man. Z.ophar ufes 
 the fame expreffion, 'job 1 1. 12 But our 
 Tranflatours have fupplyed the fame 
 particle and Tranflated; For vain Man 
 would be wife, th(? vain Man be born like 
 a Wild AJfes Colt. It is obferved of 
 Nabal y that after Jbigal had made him 
 fenfible of the fault which he had com- 
 mitted, That his Heart dyek within him, 
 and he became a Stone ; but our Verfion 
 renders, And he became as a Stone. We 
 may alfo very well Tranflate, "that Lots 
 Wife became as a Pillar of Salt. For as 
 none imagine that Nabal was turned to. 
 a Stone, tho* the Original fays exprefly 
 that he became a Stone . fo they fhould 
 not imagine neither that Lots Wife 
 was turned into, a Pillar of Salt, tho* 
 , . the Original fays (he became one. The 
 * ■ Latin Poets have imployed the fame 
 way of fpeaking to exprefs a great fa& 
 prize. Ovid reprefents Ariadne, ex- 
 preffing her Grief and Aftonifhment 
 upon the flight of Thefeus y who had 
 abandoned her in the Ifland Dia, as if 
 
 (he 
 
jhe had been turn'd to a Kock.The Fable 
 Uobt was turned into a Statue 
 ofStone • But Cicero obierves that this Turcal - 
 Fi&iononly reprefents her perpetual 
 ce ia her Mourning ; and Pal- 
 flutus, that it fignities, that Niole 
 having made a Statue of Stone for her 
 felf alter her Childrens Death, did place 
 it upon their Sepulchre. 
 
 X. What the Verfions make Mofes 
 fay, That mi tbtr Eunuchs, nor Bajtards, 
 n$r Ammo/:i*es> nor Moahites, fhouldl^^ ^ y 
 enter into the Congregation of the Lord, " 2 ' °" 
 to tie Tenth Generation ; hut that the 
 Children of the Edomites jhotild enter in 
 their Third Generation, is very Dark and 
 Obfcure. For it is certain that they 
 who exclude theie Perfons from the 
 Liberty of being prefent at Religious 
 Aflemblies, are Grolly miftaken, and 
 make God to be Author of a Law 
 which isContradi&ory to that by which 
 he allowed the fame Rights and Privi- 
 leges with refpect to his Religion and 
 Worihip, to Strangers, which were al- 
 lowed to the Jfrae/ites. Wherefore o- C T 9- ) 
 thers think that this Prohibition is on- 
 ly to be under! rood of the Low inner- 
 court of the Tabernacle, where none 
 but thofe that were clean could enter. 
 
 For 
 
For proving of which, they adduce the 
 Complaint of the. Prophet Jeremiah, 
 lam.?; That the Heathen whom God had com- 
 manded that they (hould not enter into the 
 Congregation Jjad enter dinto theSanttuary. 
 But the Prophet fpeaks only of the 
 Heathens that knew not the True God, 
 who hadenter'd into the Sanftuary by 
 Violence : Nor is this place to be under- 
 Rafi.A-ftood with refped: to Religion, buton- 
 AbSb 3 ' ty with refpe& to Political Laws and 
 R?chai. Statutes, as Fagius and Vatablus have ob- 
 Maim. f erve ^ # i n fine, the Generality of In- 
 terpreters, after the Rabbins, under- 
 stand by thefe words, that the Heathens 
 were prohibited to Marry with the 
 Israelites, who are called the Congrega- 
 tion of the Eternal. But yet the Law 
 did allowFree Profelites and theif Chil- 
 dren, to Marry with them ; and they 
 were accounted to be of the Tribe to 
 which they were allied . and why 
 (hould there hate been any Laws about 
 the Marriage of Eunuchs, who were not 
 Capable of it ? as BonfretM has re- 
 *nark'd. We are therefore to confider 
 that the words, tc enter ,md the Congre- 
 gation or the Lord, do fignify, to be 
 Members of the Government, and to 
 O blick Adminiftratioa 
 
 of 
 
[ H3 3 
 of Affairs; as when itis (aid; that tht 
 
 ;ls tnter into the floufe of the Lord, 
 i.e. Perform the Publick Exercife of 
 : n in it . and as when Solomon 
 ; Wifdomof God. that he nmht 1 chron - 
 come in, and qo out before the Pe6fk» 2 Chron. 
 which, in another place, is exprefs'd and i- j c - 
 explain'd by f judging the People . and as \ ^ : ' 
 when the judges of the Jew are 
 called , / he Congregation cf God, Thefc rral. 82.1. 
 examples make it very evident, that 
 a Tranilation ought not to flick too 
 clofe to the Letter of the Original . 
 but is often Obliged to keep only to 
 the Senfe, and that the Text in hand 
 fhould be render'd, That thofe Perfons 
 were not to Enter into the Council c\ 
 God, or into the Magiftracy, &c. 
 
 XL The Hebrews, who had not the 
 Thoufandth part of the Words that 
 they mud have had, to give every 
 thing a particular Name, are excufeable 
 for having given hands,£rV. To Beads, 
 to the Sea, to Rivers, tD Provinces, to 
 Kingdoms, and to Trees; to expreis 
 their Paws, their Shore and Brink, their 
 Limits, their Frontiers, and therr Bran- 
 ches. But the Modern Verlions, whi 
 are fo far from wanting words, that 
 they often have feveral words to ex* 
 
 1 fti {'< 
 
c m 3 
 
 prefs the fame thing, ought not to Imi* 
 rate them . they fhould rather keep to 
 the Senile, than to the Letter of thofe 
 Eaftern Metaphors, which are not in ufe 
 among us. This ourTranflators have hap- 
 pily done in feveral Places, where fuch 
 expreilions occur . but they have with- 
 \ out any Reafdh, ftuck to the Letter in 
 '* ^ fome others, which are to be rectify ed 
 in a New Tranflation. 
 
 XII. The Verfions make Jofeph 
 fay, both to the Chief Butler and 
 Chief Baker, Within three Days fhall 
 Pharaoh lift up thy Head . as if they 
 were both to be Hang'd : But we muft 
 obferve that the Hebrew Phfafe, which 
 
 Exod. 3c they render fo, does fignify to Mufler, 
 
 Numb. i. or ca M t0 * n Account, and not- 
 
 2. 26. 2. to Hang, as appears from verfe is, 
 
 31.16. where, after that Jcfeph had told the 
 
 Chief Butler,- that Pharaoh lliouid 
 
 lift up his Head, he adds, that he wotfd 
 
 rtflore him to his place, The fame 
 
 expreflion is found in the Texts marked 
 
 in the Margin, which our Verfions ex- 
 
 prefs by taking the Sum, 
 
 XIII. Our f ranflation fays, Deut* 17. 
 t8. That the King fhall Write a Copy 
 cf this Law in a Book. But this Tran- 
 slation is Ambiguous, and may fignify, 
 
 either 
 
C iiS ] 
 
 either that the Kings were only to take 
 a Copy of this Chapter, from verfe 
 14 to the End, Which particularly con- 
 cerns Kings ; oi* that they were to take 
 a Copy of the Five Books of Mo/es: But 
 the laft is not very probable, tho* the ( ll - 
 Rdbfs, and feveral Chriftian Do&ors, 
 think that the Kings were oblig'd 
 to keep a double Copy of the whole 
 Law^ And the firft is evidently Falfe, 
 For the Copy they were to keep, was 
 to inftruft them, not only in the Rights 
 of their Crown, biit alfo in their Duty 
 to God, to Religion, and to their Sdb- 
 je&s, which are not fufficiently con- 
 tain'd and exprefs'd in this Chapter. 
 It feems therefore more reafonable to 
 believe, that Mofts only Commands 
 them to have a Copy of the Book of 
 Deuteronomy % which "Jofephus^ Pbilo, and 
 all Chriftians have called fo, becaufe it 
 is in effect a Copy, or Second Publi- 
 cation of the Law, and contains what 
 ever is material in the other Books of 
 Mofes h and Which making butafmall^ 
 Volum, might eafily be carried about P " 
 by the Kings, as a Prefcrvative againf! tf 9 . cm. 
 Vice and Error, as Abarb&nel obferves, "'deCm 
 or as their Code or Body of Law, as^V^j 
 Philo fpeaks. This Text then may be 
 I 3 very 
 
Cii6] 
 
 very well Tranflated, He (ball Write 
 this Dcuterntmy forhimfelf in a Book: 
 
 XIV. All Interpreters are agreed, 
 that what the Verfions make Mofes 
 fay, Deut. 29. 19. is moft Dark and 
 Intricate. The Vulgar Latin Tran- 
 slates, Left when he (hall hear the words of 
 this turfe, he blefs himftlf in his Heart i 
 faying, I {hall have peace, tho I Walk. 
 according to the Wichgdnefs of my Heart y 
 ana left foe that is Drunk , t*ke her that 
 is Thirty . or according to the Revi 
 lion of Sixtus V. Left She that it 
 Drunks Confume her that is Thirfly, 
 Our Tranflation, and that of Geneva, 
 render the beginning of the Verfe ; much 
 the fame way ; but they render the 
 end of it, very differently from the V. 
 L. 7ho J 1 walk, after the Imagination 
 of my Hearty to add Drunkennefs to 
 fhirft. This Diverfity of Tranflation, 
 has given occafion to divers Commen- 
 taries, pretty oppofit one to another. 
 Some imagin, that Mofes endeavours to 
 diffwade the Jews, who were already 
 Drunk, and infatuated with Sin, from 
 going on further in their Wickednefs, 
 and to excite them to confider and ex- 
 amin their ways. Others think that 
 Mofes declares, that God will punifh 
 
 the 
 
C 117] 
 
 innocent with the Guilty: And 
 fome again fancy, that he reprefents 
 a Wicked Perfon, faying, that he would 
 not only fatisfy his Luft, but alfo 
 makehimfelf Drunk with it . or that 
 he would not only make himfelf Drunk 
 with Idolatry and Uncleannefs, but 
 that he would feek out New occaiions 
 and opportunitys of committing them- 
 But all thefe Speculations are vain, if 
 Mofes meant nothing of all this; and 
 efpecially the Second, which is con- 
 trary tofo many clear Texts of Scrip- 
 ture, wherein God exprefly declares, 
 that he will only Punifh the Guilty, 
 Nor is it very likely, that He fnould 
 defcribe the Corruption of the greateft 
 Sinners, in fo obfeure and Metaphorical 
 Terms . fince when he fpeaks of it in a 
 great many other places, he expreffes 
 himfelf in very clear and natural 
 Words. However it feems, that there ( l? j 
 are feveral faults in the Tranflations 
 bf this Text, as will appear to thofe 
 that carefully examin the Context, 
 and the words of the Original. Mofes 
 in thofe words, only reprefents the 
 Wicked Difpofition of a Profligate 
 Prodigal, who without any regard ta 
 G^.'sThreatnings, or his own Duty. 
 
 I ? 0, 
 
(nS) 
 
 or to the Evil Confequences of his 
 Wicked behaviour, promifes himfelf a 
 conitant and uninterrupted Profperity, 
 tho' he ihould indulge his inordinate 
 Affe&ions to fuch a degree, as to con- 
 fume all his Goods, by Mortgaging 
 his Lands in the beft Seafon of the 
 Year, whenthey are watered, and as 
 it were Drunk with Dew and Rain; 
 and; by felling of them whenthey are 
 Barren and Dry: We Ihould therefore 
 Translate, And it come to pafs y when he 
 heareth the Words of this Carfe, that he 
 bltfs himfelf in his Hearty frying, 1 (ball 
 have Peace, tho I follow the inordinate 
 Motions of my Hearty even to the Con* 
 filming of my Lands, when they are Wa- 
 ter edwith Rain, and when they are Parch cl 
 with Drought* 
 
 XV. The Verfions have likewife ob- 
 liged Interpreters to give pretty dif- 
 ferent Explications to Deut. z9- 29. 
 Some pretend their meaning is, that 
 God referves to. himfelf, the- Punifh- 
 ment.of Secret Crimes, ^nd ordains 
 the Ifraelites only to punifh fuch a§ 
 were Publick. Others, that God had re- 
 vealed his Secrets to the Ifraelites $ 
 whereas he hid them from other Peo- 
 ple. Some again, that Mofes Wifhe? 
 
 * " tnat 
 
< hat God might never vifit his People 
 
 wirhfuch Judgments, as he had been 
 
 defcribing, but that they might be 
 
 reveaPd to them , to the end they 
 
 might be kept to their Duty, for fear of 
 
 drawing the like Punijhments upon 
 
 themfelves: And not a few think they 
 
 fignify that we ought not to penetrate 
 
 too much into Gods Decrees, but reft 
 
 fatisfied with what is plainly rcveal'd 
 
 to us. But whoever carefully con- 
 
 fiders the Context, will find all thofe 
 
 Fancies to be groundlefs, and that we 
 
 fhould Tranilate the words with L«- 
 
 ther ^ Ihejc things were Secrets, known 
 
 only to God, but vow they are revealed 
 
 to us and to our Children forever, that 
 
 we may do all the words of this Law. 
 
 XVI. The manner after which fome 
 Verfions do render the Bleffing which 
 God had given to the Tribe of J{ber % 
 by his Servant Mnfes, does mightily 
 Fefleri the Value of it • Thy Shooes Jbafl 
 he Iron and, Brafs But we mil ft obh 
 ferve, that the J '/threw Word MintaL 
 never fignifies a Shooe in the Scripture, 
 but only a Bolt or B*r ; and thofe 
 who think otherwife, are obliged tq 
 fty, that Mofts docs not mean that 
 the Arterites fhould wear Shooes of 
 I <4 
 
Brafs and Iron, which have never been 
 made ufe of, but for the Punifhment 
 of Criminals, but only that they fhould 
 Trim and Strengthen their Shooes with 
 Nails of thofe Metals with which 
 their Country ihould abound, or that 
 they ihould poflefs fo great a quanti- 
 ty of thofe Metals, that they might 
 make Shooes of them. The Word 
 which our Verfion, and that of Geneva^ 
 Tranflate Strength, and which the 
 ( z s) Vulgar Latin Translates \ Old Age, 
 Dub.vex.ftould be render'd Peace or Re /?, as 
 t S. iffii* has obferv'd; fo that the Blef- 
 fing runs thus, fhy Bolts frail be cf 
 Iron 'and Brafs, and thou (halt have 
 Peace all thy Days. 
 
 XVII. All the Verfions have fo 
 firangely di-sfigur'd what is faid, P/*/; 
 i ic. 3 that there are fcarce Two Inter- 
 preters: of any Note, that agree in 
 explaining of it. The V. L. Tran^ 
 dates., The beginning was with thee, the 
 Day of thy Vtrtue, in the Splendor of the 
 Saints; I have begotten thee from the 
 Womb, before the Morning Star. The 
 Geneva Verfion, Thy People frail be & 
 willing People, in the Day when thou affem- 
 hkfi thy Army in Holy Pwip . the Dew 
 if thy fouth fhallbe furmftid unto thee 
 • from 
 
C i* ] 
 
 i the Womb of the Morning. And 
 'our Tranflation, Thy People ffjall be 
 Willing in the Day of thy Power, in 
 beauty of Holintfs, fro?n the Womb 
 of the Morning, thou hafl the Dew of 
 thy Tout/:. Than all which Tranflutions 
 of the Words, there can fcarce any 
 thing be more oblcure, except perhaps, 
 the Paraphrafe that St. Aufiin has giv- 
 en of them, which Runs thus. 1 he Son 
 is the beginning with thte, tather, in 
 the Day of thy Vertue^ in the Splendor 
 of the Saints, to the end the Saints may 
 be illuminated, and their Hearts pu- 
 rrfied ; / have begotten thee from the 
 Womb, of my felf, of my own Sub- 
 fiance-, viz, In Secret, tor who (hall 
 declare his Generation ? Btfore the 
 Morning Star; Synecdochically, be- 
 fore there was any Star. O rare Para- 
 phrafe ! And yet Genebrand Treats all 
 as Gnofticks^ who will not admire this 
 Pious Qalimathus ! I fhall not infift on 
 the feveral other Explications, which 
 have been given of thefe Words ; but 
 only let down the natural and plain 
 Tranflation of them, which wc owe to 
 BootM h Thy Trcofs fiall be ■W^.ft'S. 
 when thou raifefi thy Army in thy (J/0-8,10. 
 nous Santtttfiry . Thon bajl [hone like 
 
 the 
 
the Morning, from thy very Birth . thy 
 Toath has been cover 'd with Dew. 
 
 It wereeafy to give a great many 
 more examples of the obfcurity of Ver- 
 fipns, which hinders the People from 
 reaping that benefit and inftru&ion, by 
 Reading of them, which they might 
 do if they were more plain and exaft . 
 but (hould we inftance. them all, we 
 muft Copy % Confiderable part of 
 the Sacred Books. 
 
 Jnnot. on Chap. 8. 
 
 (i) The Particle Jw, which we Tran- 
 flate />, fignifies alfo very frequently 
 Althd h zxA the VerbB^, which we 
 render Enquire, fignifies to Enquire 
 with great earneftnefs . and when the 
 Hebrews repeat the fame Word Twice 
 together, they defign to exprefs the 
 certainty of the thing they fpeak of. 
 
 r 2 j Menajfeh Ben Ifrael, Alfchech^ Arama y 
 Abarbanel, R. Levi Ben Gerfon^ and the 
 Xargum of Jerufalent* 
 
 f 3 ; St. Jerom Queft. Hebr. in Gen. Galatin, 
 Arc. G.V.LXI. c.io. Cat bar in. Bon- 
 frer. Cornel a Lap. 
 
 r . When the Verb Calab fignifies ta 
 
 * Heft, it is not conftru&ed wtih the 
 
 "' ""' Ac- 
 

 Accufative as here, but with the No- 
 minative of a Noun, or the Infinitive 
 of another Verb, with the Prepofition 
 Lamed. 
 
 The Preterperfedt Tenfe of the He- ( $ ) 
 trews, does often comprehend the Im- 
 perfeftand Plufqrum perfeft Tenfes, as 
 Grammariours fpeak, and Vatablus Ju- 
 mut, Drufius, Mtrcerus, Rivet, Pifcator, 
 Calovius, WaltberuS) Buxtorf^ GUffius, 
 "Sixt. Amama, Mayer, and Vfeiffer^ Dub. 
 Vex. S. Cent, i loc. 4. do obierve on 
 this Text. 
 
 As u'Jges,2.2$. ]ob. 11. 1 j. l.uhg , . 
 21. 28. 
 
 Wagenzeil in Sot ah, p. 1004, ® an ' r ) 
 bawer Confci. 1. p. 42. Cdloviw I ad 
 Gen. 4. 7. f. Ffeitfer, DuLVex. S; 
 Ce»A 1. loc, 12. 
 
 As Ge*?, 19. 15. Lev. 20. 20. 2 (g) 
 /(/agj 7. 9. Zjcbar. 14. 19. This 
 is the Opinion of Fapjus, Ole after , C. J 
 Lap.PtJcator,<jrotiHsL. de Dieu. Ainj- 
 wortb, &V. 
 
 .. The Sacrifice for Sin was common- (9) 
 iy placed at the Door of the Taber- 
 nacle, and is called frequently Cba- 
 tab, Levit.p. 7. ® \6. 7.Exod.29.i4- 
 Numb. 8. 8. Hofea, 4 . 3, &c 
 
 v : r hen the Verb Nafah i$Joyr A d 0°; 
 
 with 
 
E iH 3 
 with fhe Word Aaven y it hath al- 
 ways this Signification. 
 ful *hilo de Gigant. ]ofephus Ant. I. 
 I.C. IV. Ptrke Aboth. C. 22. Jufi. 
 Mart. ApoL I. Iren* l. 4. C. 7. Cfe- 
 we/w Alex: Strom. L. 3. Tertnl. deveL 
 Virg. Laffant. de Orig. Error. 1. 2, C, 
 
 4. Saifu m Sever. Hi ft. 1. 1. 
 
 i ia 3 D<?/r/0 Difquzs. Mag. I. 2. 9. 1 5. /rja. 
 
 Gecr^ Ke^/. T. I. S. I. />ra£/, 54. 
 
 P*//*7fcw Pto7. S. C. 8. p. pi* 
 ^ 13; Gen. 5. 24. and 20. 3. and 27.36. 
 
 and 30. 15; and 34, 2. Jof. 11. 23. 
 
 Job. 5. 5. and 1?. 12. and 40. 19. 
 
 1 Sam. 8. 11. 2 Kings 11. 5. Neheiu 
 
 5. 2. 
 
 (u) The Samaritan and Arabic J^VerRons* 
 The Calde Parapbrafe, Symmachus, 0- 
 leafter y Abenezra^ R. Solomon, J arch?, 
 FagiuSj Vat alius, Caftalion, Vartnius^ De- 
 cad. Mof, p. 412, & Lud. de Ditu, 
 &c. 
 
 ( l$ ) Gen. 5. 22. 24. and 6. 9. Deut. 8. 
 19. Gen. 17. 1. Deut. 8. 6, &V. 
 
 ^O £/ie^er />/>*<?. C 8. Menafftb ben 
 Ifrael de fragil. human, p. 67. R. Levi 
 Qcyrh p, 3. 
 
 ^* 7 ' /£. Benjamin Itin. p. 44. Burchard, 
 p. I. C. 17. Hunting Itin. Script. p„ 
 66. P////W, ////?. /V. Lib. 31. E. 7- 
 
C 325 ] 
 
 Soinus, Ifidorus, fi. Gtllius, OUhs ( ,s ) 
 Mdgnus, Sec. 
 
 Aut mare profpic tens in Saxo fri>7ida fedi^ 
 
 \nicfa lapis fedes tarn lapis iffk 
 Mater ad audit as ft up ait ecu Saxea Voces. 
 
 ( Ariadne Thdeo. 
 
 Et Met. 13, 
 
 dnroq \ fimillima Saxo 
 
 Torpet. 
 
 As may be feen, Exod. 1 i 48. Levit. ( 1 9 ' 
 22. 18. Numb. 9. 14. Ifa. 56. 3,4, 5, 
 5, 7, 8, 9. 
 
 Gen. 9. 5. Prov. 30. 28. Fiabak. ( 2 °) 
 3, 10. P/i/. 98. 8. Ifaiah 55. 12. 
 
 As Maimomdes, HaUc. Mel. C. 3. r 2l ) 
 ^ /ii/rfc. Tephil. C. 7. j0/e/>£ /£/ir0 
 //* Cefeph mijn F. ittg. Col. 3. /uz^f 
 Simeon in fjc/^f. 7^4 F.285. Ctf/. 2. 
 #- ^<?» CW/£. B<?f £. Ifr. Par. 2 Co/. 
 158. Col. 2 . Bartenora Comment. F. 1 8 <J. 
 CV. 1. Jarcbi. Mkhlo Jopbi. F. J 9. CW. 
 2. St. Auguft. ad Deut. 17, 18. Gr0- 
 fj*J j^/ idem^ Danhawtr, Scukard, &C. 
 
 The Septuagtnt, Vulgar Latin, Abar- 
 ianel, Luther ', Gerard , Ca/ovius, and 
 Carpzovitis. 
 
 The 
 
 (*J 
 
[ ix6 2 
 
 C*3) The Word which we Tranflate 
 Imagination, as if it came from the Verb 
 Sour 9 comes manifeftly from the Verb 
 Sarar, which figriiftes to be Wicked, 
 The Verb Setout, which we render to 
 add, fignifies freqently to Confume or 
 Defiroy. And the words which are 
 , As p£ /(5 ^Tranflated Drmk and Tbirfiy, do iri- 
 12. 143/ deed fignify the lame. But then we 
 7- Et*k muft obferve with Bonfterius and z. de 
 ,9# x * JD/tf», that they are Adjectives that fup r 
 pofe Subftantives, which are to be fup- 
 plyed in a Verfion. And as thofe Ad- 
 jectives do often mark the qualities 
 of fruitful, or barren Land, 'tis evi- 
 dent, that 'tis this Subftantive which is 
 underftood. 
 
 Our Tranflation Tranflates the He 
 (m ) brew Word Dobe y by ftrength, upon no 
 other Ground than the Authority of 
 the Rabbis, andthefe thattollow them, 
 and the V. L. renders it Old Jge, take- 
 ing it for %obe ; but the true fignifica- 
 tion of it, is Peace or Refl ; for it comes 
 from the Arabick Verb Dava, which 
 fignifies, He is at Reft. 
 
 CHAPo 
 
[ "7 3 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 That the Tranflattons do often make 
 the Sacred Writers ContradxEt 
 themjelves, or fpeaJ^ the contrary 
 of what they dejigrfd. 
 
 FROM what has been faid, we 
 may eafily perceive the unexaft- 
 nefs of the molt of Translations . but 
 we ihall be further perf waded of it 
 by thefe following Obfervations, 
 by which we may find, that they 
 make God and the Sacred Writers 
 contradict themfelves in matters of the 
 higheft importance. 
 
 I. Almoft all the Tramlatious, make 
 God fay to Mofes,//;4f he was not kporvuto 
 Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, by his Same ^ 
 Jehovah, tho* God fays exprefly to the ' v 
 ririt of thofe Patriarchs, I am Jehovah, 
 who brought thee fromVdoj the Caldees ; Gen. i$, ; 
 
 and that Abraham fays himfelf to the 
 King of Sodom, I have lift up my hands 
 
 unto 
 
C «8 ] 
 
 Gen. 14. unto Jehovah, the moft High, the pof- 
 22 ' fejfour of Heaven and Earth . and that 
 Mofes obferves, that Mtn began to hear r 
 or call upon the Name of Jehovah in 
 the of days Seth. I Ihall not here men- 
 tion all the reafonings us'd by Divines 
 to adjuft this Contradiction, and to 
 preferve to Mofes the pretended pri- 
 vilege of having firft known God by 
 ( j ) the Name Jehovah : But there is per- 
 haps none, who confiders that the He* 
 brevo Particle Lo, which is in the Ori- 
 ginal, is often taken interrogatively. 
 who will not eafily grant that is fo to 
 
 fob 8 ' it ^ e ta ^ en * n t ^* s place* as fome Interpre- 
 Um.uii ters have obferved. And it can't be 
 deny'd, but that it is to be underftood 
 thus in the Texts marked on the Mar- 
 gin, where all the Verfions have ex- 
 pres'd it by an Interrogation, which is e- 
 quivalenc to the ftrongeft and moft pofii- 
 tive affirmation . and in fome Copies 
 of the Septuagint, the Text in hand is 
 rendered, I have even manifefted my felf 
 to them by my Name, Lord. The moft 
 Learned Rabbis alfo, have not under- 
 ftood it otherwife, when they obferve, 
 that this Particle is not abfolutely Ne- 
 gative, but Comparative ; as in feveral 
 other places of Scripture, where the 
 
 Yer- 
 
[ 129 3 
 
 Verfions make God to fay, Thy Name G 
 {ball be no more called Jacob, but IJrael h u f 
 tho* that Patriach was afterwards often 
 called by his firft Name, and in an- 
 other place, fpeaking to Samuel, They 
 have not rejected theefiut they have rejecled 
 me h tho' the Ifraehtes had equally re- l SaMt •■ 
 jefted the Government of Samuel, and 
 that of God. and again, i de fired Mer- Hof«&6 
 cy and not Sacrifice, tho' he had ap- 
 pointed Sacrifices, and often declared 
 that they were well pleafing to him. 
 They alfo make Mofes fay, Tour mur- 
 mnrings are not againft us, but again ft 
 the Lord, tho' they had no lefs mur- 
 mured againft him, than againft God. 
 We muft therefore re&ify all thofe 
 places, and Tranflate, Thy Name fia/i 
 not only be called Jacob, but lilgrvije Ifa- 
 vael -, tJjey have not only rtytledyou^lui 
 we alfo^ I take pleafure in Mercy and . 
 not only in Sacrifices-, your murmur ings tt ' 
 are not only againjl us } hut a ] jo agaivjl 
 God; I have not only made my jtlf known 
 to themly my Name Jehevsb, or rather, 
 Was not- I even fnown to them by my 
 Name Jehovah ? Which takes away 
 the feeming Contradiction, and refolve: 
 all the difficulties that may be propos'd ( a j 
 6ri this Subjeft. 
 
 - t IT Th< 
 

 II. The fame amendment muft ne- 
 ceffarily be made, Gen. u. 6. where 
 the Verfions fay of the Builders of the 
 Towerof Babti, And now nothing fhatl 
 he n ft rained from them which they have 
 imagined to do. For this is falfe, for God 
 foon put a flop to their defign. by 
 Confounding them, and fcattering 
 them abroad from thence, uyon the Face 
 of the Earth . The fame Particle, which 
 is indeed fometimes taken negatively, 
 is evidently here to be taken interro- 
 gatively, and is equal to the moft ex- 
 prefs Affirmation, We fhould therefore 
 Tranflate this Text, with the Flemifh 
 He- Revifors and Leafden , thus- fhall 
 
 -6* ^20 t,:e y mt ^ re ft ra * m * in *tt that they 
 U have imagined to do ? Which was pre- 
 fently Executed accordingly. 
 Contra III. Dorfcheus^nd M. Pfetffer think, 
 
 Trigiand tlut Ezekiei \A. o. is to be Tranflated 
 301. Dub, by way of interrogation 3 thus: If 4 
 Vex.Ccnt. Prophet fttffer hirrftfto 6e deceived. It he 
 Lord, [hall I have deceived that Pro- 
 phet ? On the contrary, 1 will ftretch 
 out my Hand againfl him. And cer- 
 tainly, 'tis much more reafonable to 
 render it fo, than as our Verfionand 
 others have done - 7 / the Lord have de* 
 reived this Prophet •* Which can't but 
 
 fog- 
 
 Phi 
 
C 131 1 
 
 ;eft Notions to us very injurious Michlof. 
 ro the Divine Majefty. For all Oram- ut/feiV 
 
 marionrs, and R. David Kjrnki do 
 grant, that the Hebrew Particle HE, 
 which is Interrogative, is often fup- 
 preft in the Hebrew Text. Junius and 
 Jremellius have fupply'd it, Vfal. 120. 
 1. Levit. 18. 28. and the Lxx, P/i/S 
 105. 28. and it muft neceflarily be* King* 
 fupply'd too, in ali the Texts you Jf" 2 fj^J* 
 fee on the Margin, as ou<* Tran- 19.43- 
 ilators have very well obferv'd. But Ex * 8 * l6 
 yet there is no ;need of this Crithifm 
 in this place ; For the Hebrew Verb, 
 whicli we render to deceive, fignities pathah in 
 often, to infatuate. So that God is fo c - Plc1, 
 far from faying, that he has deceivd 
 that tnlle Prophet, that on the con- 
 trary, He declares that he will Punifh 
 him for his falfiiood, by infatuating 
 him, and making him a Fool, which 
 refolves all the difficulty, 
 
 IV. There is perhaps no Text in 
 the Bible that has puzzled Inter- 
 preters more .than what the . Vcriions 
 make God fay, Ez. 20. 25, 26. Whertn 
 jort I gave them alfo Statutes that mre 
 not gond y and judgments wbertby they 
 (hould not Live; and I polluted thnn 
 in their own gifts, in that they cau/cd to 
 
 K 2 fafs 
 
Cm* 3 
 
 pafs thorow the fire, all that opemth 
 the Womb, thtt I might make them de- 
 folate, to the end that they might know 
 that I am the Lor J. Some underftand 
 thofe words withSt Auftinpi theCeremo- 
 nial Law . Luther and F/acciift, of the 
 Political, and even of the Moral Laws. 
 Kjmki, of the Laws of the Enemies 
 of the People of God : Calvin, of the 
 Laws and OremonidS of Paganijm, 
 and of Superfluous Traditions: jF«- 
 mus, ¥ifcdtor y and Hakfpan, of the Threat- 
 nings and Curfes of the Law. This 
 very diverfity of Interpretation, may 
 reasonably make us fufped: the exad- 
 nefs of the Tranflation, which makes 
 God fpeak in fo doubtful Terms, that 
 every body may underftand them as 
 he pleafes. But fince God often de. 
 dares, that his Laws are Juft and Good, 
 and give Life to the obfervers of them- 
 and fince he is not the Author of the 
 Wicked and Superftitious Laws of 
 the Pagansybnt the Devil and Wick- 
 ed Men, it is not reafonable to fup- 
 poi'e, that he (hould exprefs himfelf 
 in fuch a manner, efpecially upon an 
 occafion, on which he manifeftly de- 
 jfigns, to let the Jfraelites fee, that he 
 fead no way been wanting, in In- 
 
 ftra&ing 
 
c m ] 
 
 itru&ing and Dire&ing them, and 
 that they themfelves only were to 
 blame for thofe Crimes which he re- 
 proaches them, with. Why then 
 ihould not the Tranflators have con- 
 cluded that the Hebrew Particle H E 
 is here fuppreft, iince they have fup- 
 ply'd it in feveral other places, where 
 there was no fuch neceifity for fo doing, 
 as there is in this place ? Why alfo fhcu'd 
 they fuppofe, that what is faid here, of 
 making the firft born to pajs, fhould 
 fignify that the lfraelites made their 
 Children pais thro' the Fire ? Since in 
 the Original 'tis (aid, that God made the 
 firft born to pafs, as the Learned Deie^ 
 Spencer obterves, who proves, that this ^* ^ £ 
 Text is parallel to that of Mojes ; Than ex. 13.^ 
 fbdt jeparate unto the Lord — every Firft, 
 ling . Why likewife Ihould they Tran- 
 flate, That 1 might mah^ them defolate, 
 fince the Hebrew Verb Schamam figni- 
 fies alio to be RxvijVd with Admiration, 
 and is almoft always fo taken, when 
 'tis applied to Men, as Schindler and 
 Spencer have lufl&ciently made out. 
 And this anfwers very well to what 
 happened on that occafion. Tor God. 
 having Confecraced the firft born of 
 the lfraelites for his Publick Service, 
 
 K 3 when 
 
( m ) 
 
 when he had preferved them from the 
 deftroying Angel, allowing them with- 
 al to be redeemed for five facrei She- 
 kels, it is not to be doubted, but that 
 all Jfratl was fill'd with won- 
 der. As alfo when he feparated 
 the Levites from all the firft born 
 for the facred Fun&ions, and made the 
 Earth to Swallow up Corah, Datban, 
 and Abtram, for murmuring upon 
 that account. Thofe Two Verfes 
 then are thus to be Tranflated: For, 
 Have 1 given them Statutes that were 
 n t good, o' haws whereby they fbould not 
 h : ve? Or have I made them impure by 
 their gifts ? When I Consecrated to my 
 fclf their fir ft born, to Kavi/h them 
 votth A&inh avion, that they might know 
 J cm the Lord. This Verfion has no- 
 thing but what anfwers to the words 
 of the Original, and the Stile of the 
 Scripture : It reprefents what God 
 had done in Favours of the Jjraelites ; 
 it continues and aggravates the Reproa- 
 ches whichGod makes to them through- 
 out this whole Book, of having a- 
 bandon'd themfelves to the idolatry of 
 the ALgyptians and Canaanites, 'tbo he 
 had neglected nothing to ditfwad ( e them 
 from it : In a word, it is fo natural, 
 fX one can fcarce conceive how it 
 
 fhould 
 
C *>S J 
 
 ihoulcl never have been thought upon 
 by any before Men. Ben Ifrael. 
 
 V. Our Translations, and fome 0- 
 thers, make Mofes fall into a plain Con- 
 tradiction in relating the Story of the 
 Manna, Exod. 1 6 % 15. which they 
 render thus, And when the Children of 
 Ifrael [aw it, they fata 1 one to another, it 
 is Manna : For they wifl not what it 
 was. But why fhould they have for- 
 faken the Seftuagint, and ieveral Au- 
 thors both Antient and Modern, that ^ ) 
 have Tranflated this Text according to 
 the Original? 'lie Ifraelites feeing this, 
 /aid one to another, What is this ? For 
 they knew not what it was. 
 
 VI. All the Tranflations, too, make 
 God lay, that he will Punifh or vifit £x - *°* 
 the iniquity oj the Fathers, upon the 
 Children, to the Third and Fourth Gene- 
 ration. And Interpreters run to a 
 Thoufand Diftin&ions and Sub.tilties, 
 to clear the Goodnefs, Wifdom, and 
 Juftice of God, in this affair: And 
 to reconcile fo fcvere a Th^eatning 
 with the exprefs prohibition of «w-"'j) eut , 
 king the Children to Djtjor the Sins of u. 
 their Parents, or the Parents for the Sins 
 of the Children, and the order of m&* 
 king every cne to Dye for his own Sins.* 
 \\ 4 and 
 
C i^3 
 
 % Kings, and with theCommendation which God 
 Gen? i g' §^ ves t0 Awazsah King of Judah, for 
 as.Numb. having Religioufly obierv'd this Law; 
 *i". Kek. Or with the Proteitations of Abraham, 
 18." 20. * Mofes, Aaron and Ezefyel; and with 
 Mat. i*. the plain and conftaht Maxims 
 ? 6 jg™! of the Gofpel, that God will not de- 
 fy 5. 1 7?r^ //?<? ?#/? »>//£ the Wicked, nor the 
 Cor. 5. 10 i nnocent w jth t fe Q u il t y . T&tf &e ren- 
 ders to every Man according to his Works ^ 
 and that every one mujt hear his ovm 
 Burden, &c. Why then fhould not 
 our Tranilators have render'd the 
 Prepofition Lamed by the English 
 Particle by, fince it is often made to 
 fignify, that the Perfons or things which 
 it goes before, are made the Inftruments 
 of bringing fome what about. In this 
 fenfe it is taken, 1 Chron. 19. 5. and 
 Pfal. ij. j. as thofe who pleafe to 
 confult the Original will eafily find. 
 We have indeed a remarkable inftance 
 of the Truth of the Words, thus ex- 
 plain'd in the Perionof David . whom 
 God, for his Sins, Suffered to be Per- 
 secuted by his Son Abfalom, and to 
 be Treated by him with the greateft 
 injuries and indignities imaginable. 
 Or if we take the iniquity of the Fa- 
 ikftfy to fignify only their Sin, and not 
 
 their 
 
C 137 "J 
 
 their Vtrfom we fhall find the words 
 verified, in the Hiftory of Ah^ and 
 Amon, whofe Sins were abolifli'd by 
 their Sons Heukiab and Jqfiah. So 
 that it feems we fhouid Tranilate this 
 Text with M. Launai, that God Puni- Difi:de 
 files, or vifits the tmquity of the Fathers dlj^dic 
 by the Children. Or if it be thought p. 1. 
 that it fuffers any Violence by this 
 Tranflation, we may render the Pre- 
 pofition Ld/»e*/, /;/ favours, or becaufe 
 of the Children, fince it has this Sig- v 
 nification in a great many places of ^ 
 Scripture. And this anfwers perfect- 
 ly well to the Methods of God's Pro- 
 vidence, with refpeft to the Wicked 
 and the Innocent, the former of 
 which he often Punifhes for the be- 
 nefit and advantage of the latter. 
 Tranflations, above all things, fhouid 
 avoid giving us impreflions injurious 
 to God, and to Piety. 
 
 VII. The fame fault however is to. 
 be found in ftveral other places, where 
 they corrupt the fence, and make the 
 Sacred Authors (peak the quite con- 
 trary of what they defign'd. The It 
 raelites, when they murmur'd againft 
 God in the Defart, are brought in by 
 moft Verfions faying, QxuGod furnifh 
 
 a 
 
aT able in the Wilder nefs t becaufe he f mote 
 P&l. 78. the Rock, and the Water guftid out > 
 But it is evident from the Scope and 
 Thread of their impious Language, 
 that we fhould Tranflate, tho y hefmote 
 the Rock., and the Water gujWd out. 
 They make the fame people fay, 
 10. ' W* t JaVe been delivered to do all thofe 
 Abominations, contrary to the plain 
 meaning of the Prophet, who repre- 
 fents them faying ; We have been de^ 
 livered) thd* rve have done alt thofe Abo* 
 ruinations. And they render what 
 God fays, Gev. 8.21. I will not Curfe 
 the Ground any more for the fake of 
 Man, for the imagination of the Heart 
 of Man is evil from his Touth . but 
 it muft beTranflated, tho the imagina- 
 tien 9 &c 
 
 VIII. It were to be wiih'd, that 
 Tranflators had only faiPd in fome 
 particular matters of Faft, which only 
 concerned Men, and things indifferent: 
 But they are alfo Guilty of this, in 
 things that regard the Honour of 
 God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift. They 
 fometimes reprefent God, as if he was 
 the Author or Promoter of the moft 
 execrable Crimes, not only in the Old 
 Teftament, but likewife in the New, 
 
 where 
 
C 139 3 
 
 where the Stileis more Plain and eafie 
 to be exprefs'd. For example, when 
 they Tranflate what is laid of the Sons 
 of Eli, Notwithjl ending they hearknei 
 not to the Voice of tktir father, he- 2Silm * 2 * 
 caufe the Lord would Slay them, Who 
 would not imagin that God thruft 
 them headlong into this Difobedience, 
 that he might have an occafion to 
 Kill them ? But the very thoughts of 
 this would be Blafphemous, and only 
 owe its rife to the negligence or ig- 
 norance of Tranllators, who have 
 not remarked that the Htlrew Con- 
 junftion Chi, fignifies here, and in fe- 
 veral other places, Becaufe, Whtrefore yOM 
 J ho 7 , as may be feen in the preceed- 
 ing Article, and is acknowledgedby ^ 
 feveral Learned Men. And this gives 
 the words a Meaning worthy of God, 
 and brings him in juftly punifhing the 
 Children of Eli, becaufe they had 
 Slighted all the Counfels their Fa- 
 ther had given them," to reclaim them 
 from their wicked ways. 
 
 IX. Some Divines have imagined, 
 that God has Created the molt of Men 
 on purpofe to Damn them ; and ground 
 their Opinion on a faying of Solomon, 
 which the Verfions render thus^J hath £ l0V " l€t 
 
 wade 
 
C M° 3 
 
 watte all things for himfelf and even the 
 Wicked for the Day of Evil But he 
 who will be at the pains to confult 
 the Original, will quickly find, that 
 the words may be rendered, God doe s, or 
 Rules all things^ fo as that they agree, 
 or anftver one to antther^ and even the 
 Wicked agree to ( or are fitted for ) the 
 Day of Evil i # e. for Punifhment and 
 Deftru&ion; as the moft Judicious 
 Interpreters do acknowledge : And 
 right reafon, and the Notions we have 
 of God, may eafily make it appear, 
 that they ought to be thus renderU 
 All the Tranflations do plainly make 
 Micah 5. the p rop het Micah and St. Matthew, 
 Matt. 2. 6. contradict one another; the Prophet 
 faying, as they render his words, that 
 Bethlem was little among the Thoufandths 
 of Judah, and the Evangelift faying 
 the contrary. Some, to reconcile this, 
 think that theText of Mic ah has been cor- 
 (r ) rupted. Others that St. Matthew does not 
 cite the words of the Prophet according 
 to his own Opinion, but according 
 to that of the Scribes. Some imagine 
 that fyficah\ words are to be taken in- 
 terrogatively. Others, that the Prophet 
 coniiders Bethlem in it felf. and the 
 Evangelift, with refpeCt to our Savi- 
 our's 
 
C 141 3 
 
 our's Birth. Some again think, that It 
 
 was little in the Prophets time, and 
 great in the Evangelifts s and others, 
 that we are to fupply the words, thou 
 doft feem to be little ; or that the He- 
 brew Word Tfagnir, ftgnifies, to be little 
 and to be great, and that it is to be 
 rendered in Malachy, Thou art great. 
 But it feems to be more Natural, 
 to take the Hebrew Word by way of 
 an Adverb, and to Tranflate, And 
 then Bethlehem Ephratah, 'tis but lit- 
 tie ) or 'tis a f mall matter , that thou Art 
 among the Thousandths of Judah, &c. 
 As Oftander, and fome few others, 
 have Judicioufly obfervd . which 
 clearly removes the Contradiction. 
 
 XL R. D, Kjmki obferves, that the A d 1 Sam 
 Names of God marked on the Mar- a $. u . * 
 gin, are often given as Epithetes, to F l Al * *s- 
 thofe things, which are the greateft, jS^ufc 
 the ftrongeft, and the bed of their fofa* 
 kind • and our Tranflators have, in EL 
 a great many places, (luck to this re- / 8 ^ 
 mark . Tranflating A Great Prince \ 
 I have Wrtfiled with great li r re filings « 
 great Trejfajfes . great Mountains ; good- 
 ly Cedars - a mcji Vehement Flame • a 
 hand of Darknefs ; an exceeding great 
 City: The/ in the Original there is, 
 
 A 
 
C M* 3 
 
 A Prince of God . Wr eft lings of God^ 
 Trefpaffes of God h Mountains of God* 
 Cedars of God % & Flame of God ; a 
 Land of Darknefs of God h a great City 
 of God. But then there can be no 
 Reafon given why they (hould not have 
 u i Tranflated, a mofl Vehement Wind, in- 
 ftead of the Spirit of God, fince the He- 
 
 ( 9 ) brew Word Ruach fignifies as well the 
 Wind, as the Spirit • and fince this Sig- 
 
 Eiod. 14. nification of it agrees very well witfy 
 2.'. Mofes's Narration, which reprefents the 
 Earth mixd fo with the Waters, that 
 it could not appear, and fo flood very 
 much in need of a Wind to Dry it; 
 fa As the fame Mofes obferves, that there 
 18. ' arofe a flrong JEafi Wind the Night be- 
 fore the Ijraelites pafs'd thorow the 
 Red Sea, which made the Sea Dry 
 Land* and as David fays, that God 
 caufeth his Wind to Blow y and the Waters 
 
 ( 10 ) Plow. Nor can there any great Rea- 
 fon be given, for their flicking to the 
 Helraifm in feveral other Texts of the 
 fame Nature, 
 
 XII. The Geneva Verfion fays, that 
 
 Aaron having Received the Ear-rings 
 
 from the Ifraelites, fajhioned them with 
 
 f d a & rav i**& Tool, and made a Molten 
 
 4 *° * 32 " Calf of them x as if the Calf had been 
 
 Engraven ; 
 
C i43 3 
 
 Engraven, before it was Molten, Our 
 Translation, to avoid this Abfurdity, 
 renders, Fafbioned it with a Graving 
 Tool^ after he had made it a Molten 
 Ca/f h but both feem to be miftaken, in 
 thinking, that the Golden Calf was 
 Engraven. For who Taught Aaron to 
 Engrave ? How could it be Engraven 
 fo foon, fince Aaron prefented it to the 
 People on the Morrow? And if the 
 Cuftom of Engraving Molten Work, 
 was then known, How comes it to 
 pals, that the Scripture, which lpeaks 
 above Thirty times of them, mentions 
 nothing of their Engraving, even 
 in Solomons Time, fince it may be 
 prefumed that the Furniture of Solo- 
 mons Temple was wrought with much 
 more Art, than the Figure of Aaron 's 
 Calf? The occafion of the miftake 
 feems to be, the ambiguity of the He- 
 krew Word ffour, which fometimes 
 fignifies to iaflrion, but fignifies like- 
 wife to Bind or lye \ and of the Word , Kings-;, 
 Cberetb, which Tignities a Graving Tool, ^s* 
 and fometimes a Sack or Bagg. But 
 the Nature and Circumftances of the 
 thing which is here fpoken of, might 
 have made them understand, that the 
 words fhould have been render'd, And 
 
 he 
 
C M4 3 
 
 he received them at their hands, and 
 Jjed them in a Bagg, and made a Mol- 
 ten Calf of them. - 
 
 Jnnot. on G HAP. IX. 
 
 to 
 
 W 
 
 (3) 
 
 (4J 
 
 (5) 
 
 CO 
 
 GATAKER Advtrf Mifcel. C 
 18. p. 178. 180. Dorfckeus.Dif 
 fertat. de mm : Jehovah. M. Colom : ob- 
 fetv : Sa. p. 24. 
 
 The fame amendment is to be made 
 Jer. 7. 22. Mark 9. 37. 'John 11. 4 
 & 12. 44. Ails 5. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 10. 
 Eph. 6. 12. 1 Pet. 3,4, He£>\ 13. 9, 
 Rom. 9. 15. 
 
 As Jofephus, moft of the Raibi y s 9 St 
 Jer<?we, Fagius Vat alius y Mercer y Dr*n 
 /«/, Mayer ^ Pifcatcr, Grottus, Pfeiffer, 
 &C 
 
 Exodus 14. 15. Numb. 2j. ij. 
 J<?/fc. 10. 14. JWgw 6. 31. Pjw. 31. 
 8. Mm4 ^. 6. 11. PfaL 94. 16. 
 &c. 
 
 As Btixtorf Leoc. Z^e^r. p. 3 5* & 
 Vorftius, AlftediuSy Sixt. Amama. Gram. 
 Hebr. p. 228. Noldius Concord : P ar- 
 ise uL Hebr. 
 
 The Word hammaantbood, with its 
 Affix, is not a Particle^ but a A^#» 
 
 I 
 
C i4« ] 
 
 SnbjUntive, and can't be compounded 
 but from the word Magnaneb, which 
 Ggnifies an Anjvoer with that Affix h 
 becaufe it is pointed diffierently from 
 the Particle Lmaqntn. the Lamed hav- 
 a Patacb for Vowel, and the Afcw 
 rgg*/cA for/?, which fupplies the 
 place of the Dcmonftrative Article 
 H . Befides thai the Affix Hoo % alter 
 a £^vr, always marks a Noun Sub- 
 ftantive, and not the Particle Ldwag- 
 va» y which has always a Sbeva under 
 the Lamed, and a Patach under the 
 Ngbafa. This Gr/immaticifm is necefiary 
 for the right underitanding of this 
 text. 
 
 For this Article fee L. Cap. Crir. (7) 
 54c. p. 447. Tk. Aq*in. Cow. in Mdtb. 
 CanoL. 2. C. 1 ^. Junius ParaL\\ 16. 
 Drufius, ^avfemus, Rtbera, GlaffiuSy Cre- 
 tins, TdrxovUS) Zsgtr, Danhjver, Ca- 
 lixt. Pococky Hottwgtr^ OjUnder, Vrb. 
 Regius y Porjter, Luther, Pfciffer, &c. 
 
 Gen. 23. 6. 30. 8. iChr. 28. ij. 
 Pfal. 36. 6. & 80. 1 a Cant. 8. 6. (8 > 
 Jer. 2. 31. Jonah j. 3. Acts 7. 20. 
 
 Thus the Samartan Veriion, the 
 C&IAz Paraphrafe, feveral A /W#V, Fa- 
 thers, and Modem Authors have rcn- 
 \r'd it, 
 
 L G n. 
 
 (9) 
 
C M7 3 
 
 (">) Gen. 35- 5. 1 Ssm. 26. 12* Joh 1. 
 16, PfaL 65. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 1. & iOi 
 4. & 11. 2. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 7 to ffoe Tranflations furnifb har- 
 dened Sinners with Excufes, and 
 Libertines and Atb?ift$ with 
 viatter of Jefting. 
 
 THE Great Defign of Religion, 
 is to make us Wifer and better, 
 to give us true Notions of God and 
 our felves, and to perfwade us of the 
 reafonablenefs of the Divine Com* 
 mandments,of the advantages of Living 
 Religioufly, and of the potfibility, nay, 
 and eafinefs too of fo doing. But yet the 
 World abounds with fuch as think the 
 Practice of Religion altogether impof- 
 fl ble,and with others that Laugh at thofe 
 Sacred Oracles, which contain the Will 
 of God, as if they were the mofl filly 
 and ridiculous things imaginable. 
 And tho' this is chiefly the Etfeft of 
 their Ignorance, Lazinefs, and Love 
 
 to 
 
 - 
 
C MS] 
 
 to Vice, yet it can't be denyM, but 
 that the negligence of Tranflators has 
 given too much occafion to it, as will 
 appear to any that Serioufly considers 
 the following examples. 
 
 When Libertines and Atheifts Read 
 what the Verfions make God Com- 
 mand, Hof. 12. they don't fail to take 
 occafion to Profane the Holy Scrip- 
 rures, as Fauftus and Stcundinus, both 
 Manieheesj did of Old, who drew art 
 argument from this place, for reje&ing 
 the Old Tejlament ; and thofe who 
 have the greateft refpeft for that 
 Sacred Volume^ can't Read this paffage, 
 without being aftonifh'd, to find a 
 Prophet joy n himfelf to a Common Pro- 
 (litute. Some Uotfors h after Thomas 
 Aquinas ■> have been fo loofe as to ima- 
 gine, that God fometimes difpences (') 
 with the Laws of Purity. Others think 
 that this pafs'd only in a Vifion : 
 But befides, that the Text fpeaks of 
 it as a mod real Aftion ; this does not take 
 away the difficulty . for God is not 
 capable of infpiring impure and Cri- 
 minal Thoughts, even in a Vifion. Some 
 look on this Hiftory as a Parable, (O 
 by which the Prophet repreients to 
 the /fraelites, that God did no more 
 L 2 acknow- 
 
C 149 3 
 
 acknowledge them for his Spoufeand 
 Children, than he himfelf was capa- 
 ble to Marry a ProJtitute y and take 
 the charge of children that had fol- 
 lowed her example. Others think 
 that fjofea did not Marry a Profti- 
 tute, nor adopt Bajlards y but that he 
 only qualifies them fo, to reprefent 
 to the Jfraelites, how great an ab- 
 horrence they fhould have for their 
 Method of Living, which refembled 
 a contviud Prollitution. But if it were 
 fo, then God had commanded the 
 (4) Prophet to tell an evident Falfhood.- . 
 It is therefore much more Natural 
 to confider, with de Lyra, and others, 
 that it is the Stile of the Scriptures, 
 and cf all Languages, fometimes to 
 give to Ptrfons., and likewife to in- 
 animate things, the qualities they for- 
 merly had, tho* they have them no 
 
 fi£ 7. .«*. more. Thus Mcfess Rod is called a 
 Red, when it was changed into a S<?r- 
 fznt . and thofe who were cured of 
 
 Msfcii.^. their Bltad^fefs, Deafnefs, and Lame. 
 7 neis, are called the Wind, the Deaf, 
 
 Mat. 16. an( ] t h e £ anje . an d Simon is called 
 
 &lc ' 3 ' the Leper, and ° Matthew the VMican, 
 
 after the One was Cured of his Le- 
 
 frofy, and the other had quit that 
 
 impley- 
 
C 150 ] 
 Imploymerit. Why (hould not we 
 then caiily conceive, that the Wift 
 of Hofia had only been a Froflitute, 
 before he Married her ? There being 
 nothing in thisA&ion,of Marrying fuch 
 a Woman,that was contrary to theLaw 
 of God, which only prohibited the Priefts 
 to Marry fuch Women, and fuppos'd 
 when it allowM others to Marry 
 them, that they were to behave them- 
 felves Modeftly and Vertouily for 
 the Future. There is nothing in thi$ 
 unworthy of the Prophet, and it ex- 
 actly aniwers Gods Dealings towards 
 that People, whom he ejpouftd and 
 Adopted^ notwithftanding their for- 
 mer Wickednefs; and the Fxample 
 of /-Jofea's Wift, that had given over 
 her Bafe and Scandalous way of Liv- 
 ing, and to whom the Prophet did the 
 Honour to Marry her, was very pro- 
 per to make the Ifrae/ites underiTand, 
 that they were indifpenfably oblig'd 
 to alter their Wicked way of Living, 
 if they would have God to be favour- 
 able to them, left after having given 
 them fo many inftances of his Louq,. 
 he fhould be provok'd to Divorce and 
 abandon them, The Command then 
 
 L 3 mv,ft 
 
C hi ] 
 
 muft be render'd . Go take wto thee 
 a Wife who has been given unto Whore- 
 dom^ and Children who have been Al- 
 together addicted to nne/eannefs. 
 
 This Remark is of greater Importance 
 than it feems at firft to be. All 
 the Verfions make our Saviour fay, 
 
 Mat i t ' lat *^ e Pu ^cans and Harlots (ha// go 
 
 31. " into the Kjngdom of God, before the 
 Priefis and Elders of the Jews - and 
 
 Rom. 4 .f. St. Paul, that God juflifeth the Vn- 
 godly. And there are fome Divines 
 who don't fcruple to maintain from 
 thofe places, that thofe who perfift 
 in their Wickednefs, after they have 
 received the faving Knowledge of 
 God arid Chrift, don't ceafe to pafs 
 for Righteous in the Sight of God, 
 providing they barely believe that 
 they are Juftified. But this is plain- 
 ly contrary to the whole Scriptures, 
 
 Num I4 which exprefly declare that God wiff 
 by no weans clear the Guilty f and that 
 
 Rev.jic \yhoredom unrepented of, infallibly 
 excludes Men from the Kingdom of 
 Heaven. The Words then, fhould be, 
 render'd, fhey that have betn Harlot^ 
 (hall go before joy to the Kjngdom of 
 Heaven ; him who juftifes thofe that 
 mre Vngodly ^ becaufe it's manifeftly 
 
[ *5* ] 
 
 fuppofcd, that the Perfons fpoken of, 
 had repented, and did Live conform 
 to the will of God, as may be feen 
 by what our Saviour adds immedi- 
 ately after, that the Publicans and the 
 Harlots had believed John the Pap- 
 tift. 
 
 II. There have been fome fo gro- 
 fly wild, as to Fancy that good Men 
 are not hlbjed to the Law of God f 
 hecaufe the Verfions make tjie Apq- 
 ftle Paul fay y That the Law is not made , x e m. i, 
 for a Righteous Man. The Firfl Re- 9- 
 formers were oblig'd to refift the impie- 
 ty of thofe Libeninesy who called them- 
 felves AnttnomiAnSy and to make yfe 
 of ftveral Di (Unctions and Nice- 
 tieiy to juftify the Apoftles Expreffions. 
 Some alleag'd that he fpeaks ot the 
 Law in oppofition to the Goftel y info 
 far as the Ltw Threatens, Terrifies, 
 Condemns and Punifhes. whereas the 
 G of pel Incourages, Comforts, Juftiftes, 
 and Rewards. But this Diftin£tion(s 
 without Ground : Tor the Moral Law 
 which is here underftood, whatever 
 Grotius after Arias Montanus is pleased Rom. 3. 
 to fay, equally regards all Men; the £j; u#5< . 
 Apoftle himlelf propofes it to the &c 
 Regenerate In feveral places, and the 
 
 Oi 
 
ad Mat 
 10. 1 8. 
 
 [ 153 ] 
 Direction he gives a little before the 
 place under Consideration, concerns 
 the Godly more than the Wicked, 
 becaufe Charity out of a pure Heart, 
 and of a £Ood Confcienct, and of Faith 
 unfeigned, is the end of the Command- 
 went. Twas therefore eafy to have 
 obferv'd with Beza, that the Authors 
 of the New ' Jtftament, do make ufe 
 of the Dative, in the fame fenfe as 
 the Hebrews ufe it after the I'repofi- 
 tion Lamed, to fignify the Englifh Par-' 
 tide againft . as when jefus faid to 
 his Difciples, that they fwutdhe brought 
 before Kjn%s, and Govemours for his 
 fake* for a Teflitnony againfl them, where 
 the fame Conftrutiion is ufed in the : 
 rigwaJas in the Text in hand. Where- 
 fore fome , Learned Men have very 
 well rendered it^ The Law is not made 
 Again fl a Righteous Man, but againfi the 
 Vngodly. In the fame fenfe as Art- 
 ' fiotle fays, 7 hat the Law is not again ft 
 the Vertuous^ lecaufe the Vertuous are 
 a Law to themfelves. 
 
 HI, Libertines imagin that Gcd 
 looks with indiffierency on the Sins of 
 Men* when they Read the Words 
 Tnmb of Balaam, which the Verfions refi- 
 ll" ' der thus j He hath not beheld iniqui- 
 
 ff&L in. 
 
t 'J4 3 
 
 fj in Jacob, neither bath be [ten per- 
 -ver[nt[s in ifrael. Others think he 
 overlooks and winks at the Sins of 
 his own People, i. e. to be fure in 
 their conceit, themfelves and thofe 
 of their Sett and Party, and the moft 
 Pious and Judicious are puzzled what 
 to make of them, as appears irom the 
 Various Explication which isgiv'n 
 them. Some think that by iniquity 
 and ferverjihjsy Balaam understands 
 Idols j which the Hebrews often call 
 Vanity, Iniquity^ Paljbood and Perverf- 
 nefs. But this fenfe can have no 
 place here, becaufe God had not only 
 ken Idols among the Ifraelites, but like- Ex. ;». 9- 
 wife had moft feverely punifh'd them Deut - 9> 
 for having them. Others think they 13 * 
 fignify Great and hainous Crimes, 
 which abounded among the Htathens y 
 and were not to be found among the 
 Ifraelites. But neither is this true, 
 for God upbraids them frequently with 
 the greateft Enormites, and their lead 
 faults were fo much the more hai- 
 nous, becaufe they were the People of 
 God. In hue, fome fancy that 'tis faid, 
 that he doth not behold nor perceive 
 their iniquity and perver/nefs, becaufe 
 he had pardoned them, as it" he had 
 
 never 
 
C i55 3 
 never feen them. But this, as Calvin has 
 obferv'd, is but a fhift . for the Names 
 Jacob and Ifrael don't only defign the 
 Godly, who had repented, and to whom 
 God had pardoned their faults, but 
 the whole body of the Nation in Ge- 
 neral, whom God had often punifh'd 
 for their Sins. We muft therefore 
 obferve with Gataker, and feveral o- 
 thers, that the Hebrew Words which 
 are render'd beheld and feen, don't on- 
 ly fignify a bare fight of things ( for 
 in this fenfe God fees the greateft 
 Crimes as well as the beft A&ions) 
 but alfo a feeing them withapprobati- 
 ir.<^.2. on. Thus 'tis faid that God looketh 
 Hab.1.13. f fb e contrite, and is of purer Eyes than 
 that he can behold Evil, i. e. That he 
 approveth the Contrite, but cannot ap- 
 prove Sin. We muft likewife obferve, 
 that the Hebrew Particle Beth, which 
 we Tranflate in, frequently fignifies 
 c ^ Again ft, as the Verfions have very well 
 render'd it in feveral other places. 
 We muft yet further remark, that the 
 words which are Translated imtauitj^ 
 (e) and perverfne/s, do often fignify an 
 Outrage and Vexation* or Afflittionand 
 Trouble. The Text then fhould be 
 rendered, He dw not approve Jfflitlions 
 
 0$ 
 
C I5« 1 
 
 or Outrages againfi the Pofterity of Ja- 
 cob, nor of Vexation or 1 rouble again (I 
 the Vofterity of Ifraei, i.e. He does not 
 approve that they lhould be Afflidted 
 or vex'd. This is very agreeable to 
 all that Balaam faid, and did on this 
 occafion, and flops the Mouths of 
 hibertins and Enthu/iafts. 
 
 IV. The profane do alio daily a- 
 bufe that precept of Silmcrn, which 
 the Verfions render, Be not righteous l6m 
 over much ^either make thy (elf over Wife^ 
 as if one could be too righteous or too 
 Wife ; and Interpreters are obliged tQ 
 call in their fancies, to find a reafonable 
 explanation for this Sentence. The ge- 
 nerality of the Ralbis pretend, that 
 Solomon here forbids Men to be fcru- 
 pulous about indiflfierent things, or e- 
 ven about things commanded, as for * 7 ' 
 example, whether we are obliged to 
 Fafl frequently, becaufe God Com- 
 ipands Falling, or whether it be Law- 
 ful to kill Venemous and hurtful A- 
 nimals, fince God has Commanded 
 that we fhould not kill, and fuch 
 like fcruples. Some, as Ameftus, think, Mc ^ ul * ! - 
 that Solomon dQes not fpeak oi true 
 JRighteoufnefs, but of imaginary and 
 Hypocritical Rigbteoufnefs, fpringing 
 
 from 
 
[ U7 3 
 from a defire to be prais'd of Men. 
 Pineda and Ttrinus fay, that the mean- 
 ing is, that we are not to look upon 
 our felves as too Righteous, when 
 God puts us to the Tryal, tho* our 
 conferences do not in any thing ao 
 cufe us. But Solcmon evidently fpeaks 
 of the Juftice which a Man is to ex- 
 ercife towards others, as what goes 
 before and after plainly (hews. They 
 muft then be Tranflated, Do not ex- 
 trcife Juftice too rigorou/ly, neither fet 
 up for a Man of too great Wifdpm, by 
 pretending to reform and Regulate 
 all things ; as fever al Learned Men 
 (?) have render'd them. 
 
 V. All the Verjiom alfo make Solo- 
 
 Ecdef.u %mon §i ye an advice, with which Pro- 
 
 5. digals divert themfelves, Cajl thy head 
 
 upon the Waters and you (ball find it after 
 
 many Days. Interpreters ftraigth fall 
 
 upon the Allegory to make fenfe of 
 
 it, and lay, that Solomon here advifes 
 
 us to give Alms to the Poor, tho* that 
 
 looks like throwing Bread upon the 
 
 Waters, and that God promifes that 
 
 in procefs of time we fhall receive 
 
 the Fruits of them. But if they 
 
 had obferv'd that the Hebrew Word 
 
 Lechem not only fignifies Bread, but 
 
 ; " " like wife 
 
C »58 3 
 
 Ukewife Wheat, of which it is made, 
 and that the Word Majim, not only 
 figniries the Sea, Rivers, and Waters, 
 but alfo Ground, that is moift, or lies 
 near the Waters (as may be ieen in (*) 
 many places of Scripture ) they had 
 eafily underftood that this Text fliould 
 be Tranflated, Throw thy Gfain into 
 moid Ground, and in prtcefs of time 
 thou Jhalt find it again : And if they 
 had render'd it thus, they had not 
 put the Myflicks to the trouble of Mo- 
 ralizing, nor given Libertines theplea- 
 fure of Profaning it. 
 
 VI. All the Verfions do likewife fay 
 that the Fatnefs of the Olive honours 
 God and Man, and that Wine cheareth juges 9. 
 God and Man, from which fome take * l > 
 occafion to Jeft upon the Scriptures, 
 and others, who are not come to fuch 
 a height of Wickednefs, to encourage 
 themfelves in their Debaucherie. But 
 it muft be conGderYl that the Hebrew 
 Words which are render'd God and 
 Men, Signifie Soierains, and Ferfons 
 of Quality, in feveral places of Scrip- (10) 
 ture. It muft likewife be obfervM, 
 that the Oyl ufed at the Confecrution 
 cf Princes, was called the 0)1 of Joy, 
 and every body knows that the Ea. 
 
 ftern 
 
C 159] 
 
 firn Princes did not forget Wine at 
 JLad.'o X ^ eir P u ^ c k Solemnities And Rejoicings . 
 '^ So that Drufius feems to have had 
 reafon to fay, that the words flioiild 
 be Tranflated, Sbverains and Men of 
 Quality, Honour the Qyl, and Wine cheer- 
 etb Sove rains and Perfons of Quality. 
 
 VII. Unnatural Children often pre- 
 tend to juftify or excufe themfelves froni 
 what the Verfions make our Saviour 
 fay, If <mj Man come unto me 9 and 
 hate not his Father, and Mother, and 
 Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and 
 Sifters, jea and his own \Jfe too, he 
 carft be my Difciple, Luke 14. 26. But 
 the Tranflators fhould have confider'd, 
 that the word which is render'd to 
 hate, fignifies alfo to love lefs> or to 
 take lefs care of a thing, and not to Wifll 
 nor do it any harm. And that it 
 is thus to be taken here, appears from 
 io. 37. * parallel Text in St. Matthew, where 
 our Savour fays, Be that loves Father 
 Rom. 9. or Mother more than me, is not worthy 
 !. 3 ?. Mal# °f me - It: f eems likewife very reafon- 
 able to Tranilate the words of the 
 Apoftle Paul taken out of Malachi, / 
 have loved Jacob more than Efau, be* 
 £au(e Gods Dealing towards the £- 
 domites does not (hew, that he had 
 
 any 
 
 
( 160 ) 
 
 any real hatred againft them, but on- 
 ly that he favour'd them lelsthan the 
 Defcendants of Jacob. The fame a- 
 mendment muft be made when 'tis 
 faid that God [aw that Leah was ha-* 5 ™- 1 * 
 terly as appears from the words imme- **' 
 diately preceeding, and when the Ver- 
 fions make our Saviour fay, that he mu6tlAi 
 who lerves Two Ma/lers, muft love the 
 one, and hate the other. And where, Deut. n. 
 'tis faid, if a Man have Two lVives> ■*■ 
 the one heloved the other hated, we are 
 to Tranflate the one more beloved, and l6 ' 7 . 
 the other lefs beloved, as the Learned 
 Heinfws has obfervM. 
 
 VIII. One can't, without horrour, 
 Read the Wifh which St. ?aul ex- 
 prefTes, to aflure the Jews of his 
 affefltion, as 'tis render'd by the 
 Tranflators. I IVijb 1 were accurfed 
 from Chriji for my Brethren. For whe- 
 ther we underitand it, as having been 
 made before his Converfion, or after 
 it, the laft of which is more Proba- 
 ble- or whether we take it to iignify , 
 Excommunication, or eternal Damnati- 
 on, it is a foolifh and extravagant 
 Wifh, and looks more like the efted 
 of Diabolical Fun, than of Dtvirte 
 tnfptration: For how is it pollible for 
 
 one 
 
C 161 ] 
 
 one to Wifli himfelf Damn'd ? Or what 
 Benifit could his Excommunication or 
 Damnation be to the Jews, fince the 
 Damnation of one can't procure the 
 Salvation of another ? We are there- 
 fore to obferve, that the Word which 
 is render d accurfed, ne\*er fignifies Ex- 
 communication, or Eternal Damnation, 
 in the Stile of the Septuagint, which 
 d\) the Authors of the N. T. have imi- 
 tated, but only that which is to be 
 exterminated, or rooted out, as may be 
 feen in a great many places of Scrip- 
 ture. Interpreters therefore fhould 
 with St. Jercm have kept to the na- 
 tural fignification of the Word, and 
 have Tranflated, For 1 Wifh I iva$ ap- 
 pointed to be Exterminated, or put to 
 Death, for my Friends. And this is 
 very agreeable, both to the Example 
 and Do&rine of our bleffed Saviour, 
 who laid kown his Life for his Sheep^ 
 and makes the height of Love to con* 
 lift, as indeed it plainly does, in ones 
 laying down his Life for his Friends. 
 00 The fame Amendment muft likewife 
 be made in feveral other Texts. 
 
 IX. All thofe who have any Re- 
 ligion, do acknowledge, th^t God is 
 Holinefs it fe/f, and that he tin have 
 
 do' 
 
C [6* 1 
 
 no h.ifid tn thole Crimes which are 
 Commited by Men . which he lb first- 
 ly forbids, and lo leverely Punifhes. 
 Nevertheless, the Transitions often 
 make ule of exprcfTkns, which bring 
 in God faying, that U will harden Mens 
 Hearts, and do other Actions which 
 are incompatible with that Atribute. 
 It's true indeed, that fome of the ex- 
 plications given to thofe Texts, do a- 
 bundantly clear the Wifdom, theHo- 
 linefs and the Ju/lice of God. But 
 then, were it not much more proper 
 to exprefs them (o clearly, that they 
 fliould not ftand in need of an Expli- 
 cation h ejptcial!y inTranflaiions deiign'd 
 fortlie ule of the People, w ho are often 
 very ignorant, and take every tiling 
 in a literal Senfe ; that fo the Wick- 
 ed might have no pretext to lay the 
 blame of their faults on God, nor fome 
 weak, well-meaning Chriftians, have 
 occafion to imagin that he is the Au- , f . 
 thor of them. The rrioft Learned 
 Doclors y for example, believe, that 
 when the Verfions make God to fay, 
 that he will bar Jen the heart of Pha- 
 raoh, and cf the Egyptians- that he 
 had harder? & the I hart of Sihon, and 
 o l the KJvgs of c***** t and that he 
 
 M ttrr- 
 
[ 16 3 3 
 
 hardens whom he willy all this Ihould 
 be underftood after the fame manner, 
 as if a Father Ihould fay to a child % 
 to whom he had done many kind- 
 nefifes, Son> my kindnefs has hardened 
 and Ruirid you. Now every body 
 would conclude that this Father was 
 tree of blame, and that the Sons har- 
 dening was wholly the effeft of his 
 own bafe, untoward, and ungenerous 
 Temper. In effect it cant be deny'd, 
 but that all which God did withre- 
 fpeft to Pharoab, the Egyptians , Sihon f 
 and the lyings of Canaan, and with 
 refpeft to the Jews in the Apoftles 
 time, was much more proper to fof- 
 Un y than to harden their hearts h and 
 'tis very remarkable, that it was al- 
 ways after the feeing of Mofes^s Mira* 
 cles y and after the ceafing of the Plagues, 
 C 2 4) that the Scripture fays, that Pharaoh 
 ( I<5 ) harden d his Hearty or that God hardened 
 it. Several Interpreters alfo obierve, 
 that the Verbs y which Mofes makes 
 u(e of in thofe places, often fignifie 
 a fimple Permiflfon , of which they 
 give a great many unquestionable ex- 
 amples, and they add further, that 
 foce God declares that he has no hand 
 m the Corruption of Sinners, that thofe 
 
 Verbs 
 
[ 1*4 3 
 V erbe ttiuftneceflkrily be taken inthii 
 Scnfe. But it it be {o, as certainly 
 it is, Why fhould not the Tranfla- 
 tors have expreiVd this meaning, fo 
 that it might be underftood by the 
 Unlearn'd Reader ? Inltead of Tran- 
 flating, God hardntd the Heart of Fha- 
 raoh, of the Mgjfti&ns, of Sihon, of 
 the Kjnp of Canaan, and of the Jens-, 
 Why fhould they not have Tranflated, 
 God jujftred the Heart of Pharaoh, 
 &c, to be har dried ? Til is would 
 leave no occafion to the Wicked to 
 Blafpheme, by laying the blame ot 
 their Sins on God, nor raife any doubts 
 and Scruples in the minds of good 
 Men. 
 
 X. Our Translation makes God fay 
 to Pharaoh, lor this end have 1 raised 
 thee up ^t hat I might mah$ wy power known ; PvC1Tl 9 ' T 
 as if God had made Pbtraoh on pur- 
 pofe, only to be an example of his 
 Severity and Vengeance; whereas, ac- 
 cording to the Original, theie words 
 fhould be renderM, For this unfit hare 
 I made thee to Subji-t . intimating, that 
 tho* Vharaoh had long before deterv'd 
 to be deftroyed, yet, that God thought 
 fit to fpare him, and make him Sttb- 
 ttb'foti a confiderable time, to (hew his 
 
 w? 
 
[ 1*5 3 
 
 Power, by the Signs and Wonders 
 which he wrought in the Land of 
 &&P* h an( l by delivering his People 
 at length, in fpite of all the power 
 of Pharaoh, with a ftrong Hand and an 
 out ftr etched Arm . by which he made 
 it appear to all to whofe Ears thofe 
 things came, that the God of Ifrael was 
 a great and powerful God$ that he had 
 all the Creatures at his difpofal, and 
 that there was no refilling of him, 
 
 XL According to the fame Prin- 
 ciple, we muft alter the manner after 
 which the Tranflations exprefs God's 
 Threatning to Punifh David for his 
 2 Sam. 12. Adultery and Murder. Thus faith the 
 iu Lord^ behold I will ra/fe up Evil again fi 
 
 thee out of thine own Houfe, and I will 
 take thy Wives before thine Eyes, and 
 give them unto thy Neighbour, and he 
 fhdl Lye with thy Wives in the fight 
 of the Sun : which made Calvin fay, 
 C. \$. ' th at the i*c?(l of Abfalom was the 
 Work of God. But the Verbs here ufed, 
 fignify only a permiffion of the things 
 fpoken of, and not an'a&icn; and the 
 Word which is Tranflated Evil, fig- 
 nifies nn J'fl/tlion or Misfortune, here 
 and in many other places of Scri- 
 pture. Why then fhould we not Trati- 
 
 flate? 
 
iiate? Behold I will fuffer an Affliction 
 to rife againjl you out of your own 
 Houfe y and I wi/ljuffer thy Wives to be 
 taken from thee before thy Eyes ; I mil 
 even Jufftr them to be taken by your 
 Dcmejlici\ and he fhaE Lye with thy 
 Wives in the Face of the Sun. Thofe 
 expreflions would give no occafion ot 
 fcoffing to Athcifts and Libertines, and 
 would put an end to a Scandalous Con- 
 t rover fie . 
 
 We muft Iikewife Correft the Traiv- 
 flation of 2 Saw. 24. 1. Which fays, 
 7 hat God moved David to number the 
 people • tho' God in that very place tells, 
 that his Anger was kindled againjl If 
 rael, upon this Account -and tho' the 
 Guilt of it could not be expiated but 
 by the Death of Seventy Thoufand 
 Men, who Dyed of the Peliilence on 
 that occafion • and tho' 'tis particular- 
 ly expreiVd 1 Chr. zi. j. Tnat it was 
 the Devil that moved David to this 
 Action. We muft then Tranflate with 
 Gaflalo, conform to the Original, New 
 the Anger of the Lord continued to bum 
 againjl Iirael, For David was moved ta 
 Jay, go and Number the People. 
 
 Xlf. For the fame Reafons, we muft 
 Correct what the Verfions make God 
 
 M3 to 
 
[ i*7 3 
 
 to fay, in fpeaking to the Evil Spirit, 
 Ki Go forth and do fo. Now therefore be- 
 22.22^3. f J old the Lord has put a Lying Spirit in 
 the Mouth of all thtfe thy Prophets. For 
 if Gcd had commanded the Lying 
 Spirit to feduce Ahab, he might be 
 looked upon as an Author of Lyes, and 
 as a favourer of Fafe Prophets, tho' 
 he has exprefly declared, that he will 
 cut off allLyars, and Commanded that 
 Falfe Prophets fnouid be put to Death 
 without Remiflion. But Critics ob- 
 ierve, that the imperative often denotes 
 no more than a fimple Permiffion, of 
 which, they give feveral examples* 
 iuft as a Fattier provoked , by the 
 £ t7 ) Wicked behaviour, of his Children, 
 fays, Go on, continue, hajlen to Rmne 
 your felves; net that he would have 
 them to do .fo, bat that he can't 
 hinder them, or that he will not hin- 
 der them by Violence. The Impe- 
 rative is likewife fometimes no more 
 than an Irony, as EccleJ. 11. 9. Fe- 
 joice Toung Man in thy Touth, and let 
 thy Heart chear thee in the Days 
 of thy Touthy and walk in the ways of 
 thine Heart, and in the Sight of thy 
 :/ Eyes; and in feveral other places, as 
 Gtaffiushzs ohferv'd, Befides, the Verb 
 
 which 
 
C i*8 3 
 
 which is Tranfla ted to put, fignifies on- 
 ly a hare Verm//fion, as in the pre- 
 ceeding Article: Why then fhould 
 not we Tranllate thofe words thus, 
 Thou wilt go and do fo . Behold now 
 the Lord hath permitted a Ljing Spirit 
 to enter into the Mouth of all thy Pro- 
 phets f This would leave no pretext 
 for Ahab, whereas the other Tranfla- 
 tion feems wholly to excufe hirn. 
 
 XIII. The Verlions make our lilef- 
 fed Saviour Command feveral things 
 which he had an abhorrence at ; as, 
 Deflroy this Temple \ and in Three Days J° hi1 *• 
 I will Raifeit up. Whatyoudo, do quick \ 9 7 \ 1 ^ 
 ly : Make the Tree Corrupt and his fruit Mat. \% t 
 Corrupt. But all thofe places fliould ll% 
 be render'd in the future ; thus, You 
 jha/l Dejlroy this Temple, and in Three 
 Days 1 will Ra/fe tt up. What you 
 mind to do> you will do quickly, & c « 
 They make him likewife Com- 
 mand his Apoftles to Sleep and take 
 their Rejt, tho' this is quite oppo- 
 iite to his Defign : as P. Colom has 
 obferved ; for the words muft be 
 Tranflated with an Interrogation, Do ye 
 now Sleep and take your Rejl I Where- 
 fore he adds in tlje following verfo, 
 A rife let us go hence. 
 
 XIV. When our SAVIOUR 
 M4 had 
 
 
 
£ 169 J 
 
 had defied the Woman of Samaria 
 to call her Husband, (he anfwered, / 
 have no Husband '. and the Tranfla- 
 tions make our Saviour approve her 
 anfwer, by replying, thou haft well f aid, 
 I have no Husband ; t ho' in effect (he 
 had ly'd, or at leaft anfwer'd very 
 j oh l7 Ambiguoufly. But Erajmus&rA Nor- 
 Adag.A- ton Knatcbbuli have very Judicioufly 
 ? m jfV' obferv'd, that this is an Ironical way 
 of fpeaking, which is fo far from ap- 
 proving what one fays, that on the 
 contrary, it reprefents it as moft ab- 
 fur'd and ridiculous, The words 
 (15) then muft be ■ renderd, finely 
 anfwer d indeed! I hive no His- 
 band) dec. * A like Irony we find, 
 Marli 7. 9, where the Verfions 
 have rendered our Saviour's Words, 
 to the Pharifees,- Full mil ye rejett the 
 Commandment of God \ that ye may keep 
 your own Traditions^ which fhould he 
 Tranflated, Finely done ! Te reject, &c. 
 ( J0 ) As feme of the moft Learned Interpreters 
 have obferved. 
 
 XV. We muft alfo certainly Correft 
 that unjuft reproach, which the Ver- 
 fions make the Ifraelites to bring in 
 p'*3-*7. againft God; Lord;, why hafi that* 
 made us to Err frcjm thy ways, And 
 
C I.7* 3 
 hardned cur Heart from thy hear f 
 For this feems to diiculpate thofe 
 Jlebels, who oa this pc^afion did not 
 feek to excufe themfelves, but on the 
 contrary, did confeis their Guilt, and 
 acknowledge God's Juftice in Punch- 
 ing of them. So that frcpi the Scope 
 of this Chapter, from what f.as been 
 laid before of the Stile of the Hebrew 
 Tongue, and from the Opinion of fe- 
 veral Learned Interpreters on the place, 
 it appears, that the Verbs ufed in the 
 Original, only fignify here a bare Per- 
 milfion, and that this Text fhould be 
 f^nder'd, Why haft thou Jnj}ered us to 
 Err (rom thy ways? Why ha (I thoujuf- f*0 
 fer*d us to harden our Hearts from 
 thy Fear? 
 
 XVI. There are now few or none 
 fo wild, as to maintain that God is 
 the Author of Sin, with thole Here- A4.C4T. 
 ticks of Old, whom Irenes makes men- 
 tion of: And yet one can fcarce Read 
 what the Prophet Amos fays in mod 
 Veriions, /hail there be Evil in a City, 
 and the Lord hath not done it ? With- 
 out being Tempted to imagin with 
 Munjler, that the words may be un- 
 derstood of the Evil of Sin, tho' the Ano. 3. *, 
 Vrophet only (peaks of thole Punifh- 
 
 ments, 
 
C 171 ] 
 
 ments, with which God Threatned 
 the Israelites. We muft therefore 
 Tranflate. Shall there be any Affii* 
 iiion in a City, and the Lord hath not 
 fent it? 
 
 XVII, The Verfions make the Jpoftle 
 Paul fay to the Corinthians, that they 
 might utf// bear with one,that(hou'd come 
 
 % Cor. 1 1. t0 p reac fj ano ther Jefus to them, whom 
 he had not Preached, or if they received 
 another Spirit, or another Gofpel^ as if 
 he did approve their doing fo h where- 
 as he declares his abhorrence of fuchan 
 
 Gal. 1. 3. A&ion in the Epiftle to the Galatians, 
 Pronouncing an Anathema againft him- 
 felf, or an Angel from Heaven^ that 
 floould Preach any other Gofpel than he 
 had Preached. There is nothing never- 
 thelefs more contrary to the difcourfe 
 and Defign of the Apojlle in this place, 
 who is fo far from allowing the Con- 
 dud of the Corinthians in fuch a 
 Cafe, that he only upbraids them with 
 being capable of fuch Impiety and 
 Bafenefs, But I fear, fays he, left by 
 any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eva 
 with his fubtlety, fo your minds fhould 
 le corrupted from the fimpli city that is in 
 Chrijlyfor if one fhould come and Preach 
 another Jefus, &C. Tot* ivould ridicu- 
 
 loully 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 louflj bear with him. The Apoftle tell? 
 what they were capable to do, on fuch 
 an occafion,and is lb tar from approving 
 rhem, as theVerlions fcem to iniinuate, 
 that he fliarply reproaches them for it. 
 
 XVIII. The Verftons alfo fay, That Mat# l$t 
 it is impoffible for a Rich Man to enter : 6. 
 into the Kjngdom of Heaven ; and that ^ b 6 ' 4# 
 it is impojfibk for thofe who were once en- Luke 17. 
 light ned, and have 'lafted of the He a* u 
 venly Gift, &c. If they jhatl fall aivay % 
 to renew them again to Repentance , and 
 that it is impoffible but that offences 
 mujt come \ Which expreffions are apt 
 to make Men think, that there is no 
 place for Repentance for thofe that 
 Sin in a State of Converfion, that 
 all who enjoy Ri:hes are excluded 
 from Salvation, and that God himfelf 
 cant hinder, but that offences (hall 
 come. It is true indeed, that the 
 Apoftle makes ufe of a word which Q^' at N ? 6 7 .' 
 fometimes lignities an abfolute impof- 
 fibility, but then it frequenly fignirtes 
 difficulty 5 and we often lay, that a thing 
 \s impoffibUythcy it maybe done, if it is 
 attended with a confiderable degree of 
 trouble and uneaiinefs. An antient fa- 
 ther obferves, that a thing may be faid 
 to be impoffible^ cither becaufe it can't 
 be done at all, or not withoutdifficulty ; 
 
 or 
 
C 173 3 
 
 or becaufe it can't be done well and rea- 
 dily : And there is nothing more com- 
 mon with Lawyers than to call that im 
 poffible, which can't be done accord- 
 ing to the Laws and Cuftoms of 3. 
 Land, tho' it may be done by a 
 Priviledgeor Order from the Prince. 
 In fine, our Saviour explains himfelf 
 • when he fays in other places , that it 
 
 Luke 18. . , 1 r r» • ; * r 
 
 24, // hard for a Rich Man to enter into 
 
 Mark 10. the Kjngdom of Heaven. Why then 
 * 4 * fhould we leave in a Tranflation 3 
 Word which at beft is ambiguous, 
 and which feems more Naturally to 
 exprefs an abfolute impoflibility, than 
 that which is Defign'd by it? In ef- 
 fect, if we confider that Jefus Chrift 
 does not prohibit the Lawful PofTefli- 
 on of Riches, but only Prefcribes to 
 the Rich to make the right life of 
 them, and that the Jpoftle exhorts 
 Jpoftates to Repent, we may foon be 
 convinc'd that neither the Salvation of 
 one, nor the Conversion of the other, 
 are abfolutely impoflible,and that thofe 
 places fhould be Tranflated, That it is 
 very hard for a Rich Man to be Saved, 
 -and for thofe that Sin againjl their 
 Light and Confcience, to he renewed^ and 
 that 'tis very difficult but that Offences 
 {hall come. N 'Tis in thofe places we 
 
 are 
 
C 174 3 
 
 ate particularly obliged to take Notice 
 of St. ~jerorns Remark, v/z. That an 
 Interpreter mult exprefs the Thought 
 of his Author, and not his own, no? 
 what he would have him to think, 
 fince if he Maintain any thing con- 
 trary to it, he is not to be look'd 
 upon as the Interpreter, but as the 
 Adverfary of him he pretends to ex- 
 plain. 
 
 XiX, The Iran flat ions do like wife 
 give occaflon, to the unlearned at leaft, 
 for whom they are chiefly dehgn'd, 
 to imagin that Jefus had not Power 
 enough to Work Miracles in Naza- 
 reth . that the Wicked are under an ab- 
 folute impoffibility of obeying God's 
 Commandments, and that the World 
 could in no wife hate the Difciples 
 and Brethren of Jefus, when they Mark ^ 
 fay, That Jefus could do no mighty J oh "**- 
 Wor\ there, that thojc of Jerufalem |f' 7 , °' 
 could not believe , that the Carnal Mini ' ^-ov.z. 
 is not fit! f til to the Law cf God, nor\ r \ xVil - t 
 indeed can be. That the Animal or 
 Carnal Man ( for fo it fhouUl be ren- 
 der d) cannot know the things of tlx 
 Spirit of Gcd, and that the World could 
 not hate the Brethren of Jefus. It is 
 true, that Interpreters and Preachers, in 
 their Commentates anc] Sermons, don't 
 
 fail 
 
C 175 ] 
 fail to obferve, that thisExpreifion does 
 not always denote an abfolute impof- 
 fibility to do any thing, but only a 
 defign or will not to do it . or a re- 
 pugnancy to the doing of it, upon 
 the account of fome difficulty or un- 
 eafinefs it may be attended with ; or 
 becaufe it may not be proper and 
 convenient, or confiftent with decency & 
 and this they prove by feveral un- 
 queftionable Examples. 'Tis faid, that 
 Gen. \9. ^*od could not do any thin^ to Sodom till 
 22. 37-4' Lot had left it $ that jofeph's Brethren 
 Luke tu' could not f peak peaceably to him ; That 
 7. Ruth's Kjnfman could not Buy Elime- 
 
 Re^z?*.' iechs Fitid ? that the nnkind Fnend 
 could not rife to lend ThreeLoaves to him r 
 
 for whom he pretended Friendlhip . that 
 the Jpojtle could not [peak unto the Co- 
 rinthians as unto Spiritual, and that the 
 Church of Ephefus could not bear them 
 that were Evil. But yet 'tis certain, 
 that God, if he had pleas'd, could have 
 Deftroy'd Sodom Independently of Lot h 
 that JcftpPs Brethren could have fpoke 
 peaceably with him, &c. And all this 
 impotency is to be attributed to the 
 want of will: But fince the People 
 are ready to take thefe places literal- 
 ly, it is proper they fhould be ren- 
 der'd, The; would not y and not, r lhey t 
 
 cotftm 
 
t n6 ] 
 
 could not> which is an ambiguous Ex- 
 prcifion, and naturally gives us an U 
 ckra which is contrary to the defign 
 of the Sacred Writers. 
 
 XX. The fame way of fpeaking is 
 fometimes imploy'd toexpreisthe Duty 
 or Cuftom of thofe of whom it is faid : 
 But a Tranibtion fhould render them 
 clearly, and after a manner that fhould 
 leave no Room for Doubts and Mi- 
 stakes. When Abrahams Servant had 
 delivered his Meflage to Lab an and 
 /&/£»*/, they anfwer'd. We cannot fpeaf^ 
 unto thee Bad or Good, i. e. that they Gen - z 4- 
 would not oppofe themfelves to his s °' 
 Demand of having Rtbek&b for Wife 
 to his Maflers Son : But this was ma 
 ftifeftly the effeft of their Submiflion 
 to the Will of God, from whom they 
 believ'd that this did proceed, and whom 
 they perfwaded themfelves they were 
 bound to obey : wherefore we fhould 
 Tranflate, We ought not to [peak unto 
 tine Bad or Good. The Children of 
 Jacob gave this anfwer to Sichtm and 
 Hainan, who defir'd their Sifter Dinx 
 in Marriage, We cannot do this thing 
 to give our Sifter to one that is untir- 
 cumcis\l, which fhould be render 'd ; 
 We ought not, or it is not lawful for 
 xt 3 to do this thing, &c. It is faid that 
 
 the 
 
C i*7 I- 
 
 the Egyptians could not Eat Bread with 
 the Hebrews ; we fhould Tranflate, 
 that it was not Lawful for, &c. For 
 thofe things were not abfolutely im- 
 poffible,but were contrary to the Rules 
 either of Juftice or Decency, and there. 
 fore not to be done. The fame amend- 
 ment is to be made in feveral other 
 (22) places of Scripture. 
 
 Annot. CHAP. X. 
 
 I^XF this Opinion, are, Junius, Dru- 
 \^y Jius, Polanus and Hackfpan . after 
 Jerom. Ahenez.ru and Kimki, 
 
 (2) As the Caldee Paraphrase, Z*nchius, 
 
 Parous and Rivet. 
 
 (5) Calvin y Tamovius, and others, are 
 
 for this Explication. 
 
 * 4 As Ribera y Pappus y Gefner, Meifnef 
 
 Calovius, Pifcator, Walt her, Gldjfius, 
 
 Fitikj Danhawer, St eider, and M. Pfei* 
 
 ffer. Dub. Vex. Script. C. 4. /. 73. 
 
 The Hebrew f Particle, Beth fignifies 
 
 ^' frequently againfi and is fo rendered 
 by our Tranflators Exod a 14. 25. and 
 20. 16. Numb. 12. 1. and 23. 23. and 
 they Tranflateit upon,\£. 21. ij. 
 
 (5 j So our Tranflators have render'd 
 them in fome of the following Texts- 
 
C «77 3 
 d s others have done in all Job j. io. 
 5. 27. 15. lS*'ffd.j: 14- 10. 7- *$. 
 
 18. 36. 4, 55- P- 10. 73. 5. 90. jo. 
 Paw. 12. II, 22. 8. 
 
 See Wdgenzeil. ad Sotah />. 506. Hack- ( 7 ) 
 V/u/i Mifcel./. 161. Sqq. Pfeiffer. Dub. 
 Vex, Sc. Cent. 3. L. 98. 
 
 Luther, Velicxn, Mercer, Drnfius, Gef~ , g v 
 tie r, Hackfpan, Palle/ius, Danbawer, Pfei- 
 ffer, & c . 
 
 As £*?&, 1. 6, 7/1 15. 6. jo. 2 J. ^ 
 32. 20. Jer. 48. 34. 
 
 Elobim & Anafirn, have this Signi- (ro) 
 fication. £jc0^. 4. 16. 7. 1. 21. 6. 
 
 22. 18. 1 Sam. 2. 25. /y*/. 82. 6. 
 
 See the Septuagint. Numbers 21. (») 
 2,3. DtpA 2. 26. 13. 15. 20. 17. 
 >/. (5. 17. 7. 11, iz, 1 j, sif. 2^6. 
 14. 11. 
 
 As i Cor. 16. zi.Mark 14. ji. Afts (l . 
 
 23. 14. G<;/. 1. 8,9. 1. CV. 12. 3. 
 
 Origen dt Princip. L. 3. C. 1. Phi. ( 13) 
 Jocil. C. 20. Ba(d. Orat. Deum non ejft 
 mali Autorem. Thcodoret. Q. 1 3. in Exod- 
 Augujttu. (^ 36. in Hxod. b'r/irttzius 
 c!e Interpret;. S. Orac. 24,25,26,27, 
 28. Danhawr Idea beni Interp. p. \jj. 
 llackfpan Not. ad Ex. 7. Grot, ad 
 Rom t o, 17, drc. 
 
 N See 
 
C 178] 
 
 (14) Sec Exod. 7. 13, 14, 22. 8. 15. i#. 
 
 32. 9- 7- *4,35- S3* *5- 
 (,-i The Verbs Cha^ak and O/^ and 
 
 Cavad, are in the Conjugation Piel ot 
 
 Hip hit \ which denotes, a bare Permif- 
 
 fion as often as they do an A&ion. 
 
 See Arias Mont, de Id, Hebr. N. 42. 
 
 Fink Can. Theol. Cent. 3. Gerhard &e 
 
 Provid. Calov.&Rung. in Exod. Hun- 
 
 nin Q. de Provid. p. 57. pi. iJfe//- 
 
 z^r. Difp. Gieff, T. 1. P. 745. Mef- 
 
 ner Anthropol. Dec. 1. Glafs^ Gram. 
 
 S. 1. 3. Tft 3. Can. P/e/^r.. Dub. Vex. 
 
 S. Cent. 1. L 87. And the following 
 
 places of Scripture, are Cited by them 
 
 to prove their Obfervation. Gen. 24. 
 
 17. Exod. 1^.17. ji 11. Deut. 2c. 
 
 16. iSam. 27. II. 2 Sam. S. 2, 
 
 &C 
 
 ( rtf ) The Verb A>/w is in the Conju- 
 gation Hiphil. Kagnah often fignihes 
 Affii&ion. And the Verb Nathan \y 
 ligriifies to Suffer or Permit, Gen. 20. 
 6. 31. 7. Ex„ 3. 19. 12. 23. 10. 
 25-. Numbers *p, 21, 22. 13. Judges 
 
 1. 24. 3. 28. 16. 23. 1 Stfw. 18, 
 
 2. 1 Kings 15. 17. P/i/. 16. 10, &C 
 ( l7 j Flaczim Clav. S. p. 2 C0/. 302. Glajf. 
 
 Gram. S. 1. 3. TV. 3. C^.43. Proverb. 
 
 3. 4, // 10. 54. 14. 
 
C 17? 1 
 
 1 Sam. 18. 23. GaL 4. 27, £/>£. 4. 
 As 1 &*gj 22. 15. Ecclef. 11. 9. {/i 
 
 29. I 7er. 2. 28. 
 
 As the Latins faid Belle mrras \ To 
 exprefs you are impertinent ' 7 Bonel 
 Tor, Rogue! Egregtam vtro La/tdem, 
 &c. 
 
 Jacol.Capcl. Ludo. Brngen: Vatabl. 
 Cajtalica, Bez.a, Norton KjMitMulh A- 
 nimad. 
 
 Strifes Pagnw. and Ludovicus de 
 Dieu, ofcferve that the Hebrew Verb 
 IQifcljath is often a Reciprocal Verb. 
 
 Get. 44. 22. 26, D<7tf. 16. 5. 2 £rfw. 
 17. 17. JASf; 4. 20. I Cer. 3. 11. 
 5 Cor. 10. si. Mat. 9. *5* iCoriif* 
 
 s. 1 7^ ?• 9* 
 
 FINIS. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 O F 
 
 The Firft Part 
 
 OF THIS 
 
 E S S A Y. 
 
 T 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Hat it requires great Study 
 
 and Pains to give an Ex* 
 
 ail Translation of the Bi~ 
 
 tie. page i, 
 
 CHAR n 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 y ■ * t ... . . ., - . . 
 
 T#a* /fo 7hreatnings of M ofes j;/^ St 9 
 John, »ij^ nothing for a Liter a( 
 Verfion. p. $. 
 
 CHAP. Ill 
 
 That the Original is often fo Figura- 
 tive, that a Translator is force/, in 
 many Places^ only to Render tk$ 
 Senfe and Meaning of it. p. i j.' 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Qf the Fate of thofe that have hither- 
 to attempted to better the Common 
 Tr an flat ions p. jjV 
 
 CHART. 
 
 Of the Necefftty of Revifwg and Cor* 
 retting the former Translations^ and 
 that a Iranjlation is rather to keep 
 to the Senfe, thati to the Letter. 
 
 p. 4J. 
 
 CHAP. Vic 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 That the TtdnflatioHS, by flickjng too 
 clofe to the Original, and likewife by 
 going too faWfrom it^ hive Multiply- 
 ed the Controvcrftes, and given Oc- 
 ca(ion to feveral Foolifh and Super- 
 ftitious Fancies, and Dangerous Er- 
 rors, p. 4<? 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 That the Tranfpofitions of Words and 
 
 Phrafes, Render the Tr deflations oh- 
 
 [cure in many Places. JephthaV Vow 
 
 explained, p. 74. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Liters/ Verftons are often fo ob~ 
 /cure, that the People underfl&nd 
 nothing of them. p. 97. 
 
 c H A P. IX. 
 
 That the Transitions do often mafe 
 the Sacred Writers contrtdici them- 
 
 f elves , 
 
The CONTENTS, 
 
 fehes t or [peak, the contrary ef what 
 they Dejigne'd. p. 127, 
 
 CHAP. X' 
 
 Jh&t the Tranflations furnifr hardxed 
 Sinners with Excufes . and Libertines 
 end Atheifts, with Matter of Jeft- 
 fer, p. 347, 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P Re face 1. i. r. the p. 6. I. 5. r, 
 Qbfcunty p. 32. 1. 25. r. Deifyed 
 p, 34. 1. a 9- i% R^^. ?• 4« P» 64. 1. 3. 
 d ? Wp. 98. 1. 27. d. 7/;*/.' 
 
 Some Letters and Points have been 
 &dded 01 Omitted in feme other Places. 
 
 F1NI$. 
 
A N 
 
 ESS AY 
 
 FOR 
 
 A Neiv Tr (inflation 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BIBLE* 
 
 Wherein is Ihewn 
 
 from REASON, and the AUTHORI- 
 rrofthe bed Commentat*>rs,Interpreters 
 and Criricks, That there is a Neceffity for 
 a New Tranflation. 
 
 Ilje &econti mtt. 
 
 By H. R. a Minifter of the Church cf England, 
 
 To which is added, a TABLE of the 
 Texts of Scripture contain'd in both Parts. 
 
 Da veniam Scripti stfu.utm non Gloria nobis, 
 Canfa, fed Utility Officlumque fuit. 
 
 Ovid.dePonto 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed, for John Nutt, near Stationers- 
 Hall, 1702. 
 
 — 
 
TO THE 
 
 Molt Reverend 
 THE 
 
 ARCH BISHOPS 
 
 The Right Reverend the 
 
 BISHOPS. 
 
 And the reft of the 
 
 Reverend Clergy. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Church of England, 
 
 THIS 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 h Humbly Dedicated, 
 
 By E R* 
 
TO THE 
 
 READER. 
 
 AS aJranfation of the Holy Scriptures 
 according to this Ejjay, would be of 
 great u/e to moft Chriftians, and fave 
 rn the exp.nct end pains of buying 
 and confuting Commentators ; fo the ferious and 
 impartial Confideration of the EJfiy it f elf ?nay 
 contribute to the reading of them with more flea- 
 fure and profit, as they are already Tranftated. 
 For, befides that it renders a great many places of 
 Scripture more truly and clearly than they have 
 been formerly exprejfcd by any Vcrficn, it difco" 
 vers al/o the Source and Caufes of the Errours and 
 Miftakes which are to be found in all Verfions\ 
 andfurnifljes us with plain and eafie Rules, by 
 which Perfcns of the meanefl Capacity, may eafi- 
 ly cbfirve the moft material Faults of all Tran- 
 flaticns. 
 
 Some think that feveral obftrvations in the 
 firft Part are trifling, but fncc the moft Learned 
 and Ingenious part of Men cant endure to fuffer 
 the If aft Fault or Objcurity in any of the Greek 
 cr Roman Authors, and turn over Volumes to 
 find the true reading and fence but of one Word 
 in Homer or Virgil } it muft argue either difre- 
 ptcl cr in differ ency for the Sacred Books, to cou^i 
 A a 2 any 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 any Obfervation relating ta them triflings effect - 
 ally if it tends to make any Text plain and Intel- 
 ligible y if it overturns any of the pretended 
 Grounds of Atheifm and Infidelity, of any dan- 
 gercus Error, Superfiitious Foppery, or footifo 
 and ridiculous Whim j and if any Obfervation in 
 {he Effay dont tend to one or mere of thefe ends, 
 let them think and fay of it what they will. 
 
 But what's a little odd is, that what fome 
 count Trifling, others think Important, and that 
 7 hat fart of the Book, which is meft valued by 
 fome, and is truly moft valuable, is overlooked and 
 baft by, by others. But the reafon of this is, that 
 feme under f and the defign of the Book, and con- 
 sider all the Texts in it, with refpetl to the Gene- 
 ral Defign, whereas ot tiers cenfider them barely 
 in themselves. 
 
 Thefe Qenthmen will, no doubt, make the 
 fame j"dgme?2t of fome places of the Second 
 Part, which treat of the Names of Weights and 
 Meafures, Trees, Beafls, 6CC. But befidts what 
 has heenfaid already, let them cenfider , that fin ze 
 whole Treatifes have been writ on eve\y One zf 
 thofe Subjects, by the beft Hands, to the fatis- 
 faclion of the judicious and Learned; they fiould 
 not think them unworthy to be made the Sub- 
 ject of a few Pages. 
 
 Others fay, That a work of this narur^ 
 gives occafion to fome to deny the Divine 
 Authority of the Holy Scriptures, and to o- 
 thus, to deny their perfpicuity and clea?- 
 nefs. To which I Anjwer, That the Tranfiati- 
 ^vs do indeed give too much occajienfor this , but 
 that the Effay does I cant at all fee % Tm fure it 
 
To the Rea.dcr 
 
 was writ for a quite contrary end, namely to 
 remove all the Cavils and Exceptions of Atheifis, 
 Deifts and ethers againfi the Scriptures, and to 
 fliew, that what they think ridiculous, is only 
 faid by the Translators, Is it then a?iy Argu- 
 ment that the Original is in the wrongs becaufe 
 Transitions are? Or that becaufe thtre have 
 been many bad Translations* thtre can never be a 
 good one? Or, in fine, that becaufe fever a I of 
 its Terms and Phrajfs are ambiguous \ they muft 
 puzzle one who has the necejfary qualities of a 
 Tr an flat or ; who u Mafter of the Languages in 
 which the Scriptures were writ • who knows the 
 Cufloms to which they allude • undtrflands the 
 defign of the Author, cunfiders the Context, lays 
 a fide Yrejad.ce, confuhs Rcafon, and has true 
 Notions of God ? 
 
 'fir no proof that an Author is flat and oh 
 fcure, and fpeaks nonftnfe, that he has been of- 
 ten reprefentedfo by Tranjlators. PI march and 
 Horace huve been Jeveral times bungltd, but 
 fill Plucarch and Horace fpoke noble ftnfe in 
 their own Language, and have been fince made 
 to do fo in ours. 
 
 Tho David'* Pfalms have betn oft in man- 
 gled, yet, Buchanan in Latin, and Godeau 
 in French, have done the Tjalmift Jimc Ju/Iice 9 
 and made him fmg in a plain and divine /train, 
 And what hath been done to that Book in l r erfe, 
 may be done both to it, and the other Bc~ck: of 
 the Bible in Profe ; I mean they may be made to 
 (peak plainer and better, than they have yet 
 done in any Tranflation. 
 
 Dent 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 Dont Commentators run to aThoufand ground- 
 iefs Fancies, and foolifh Chimera s to reconcile 
 Translations in many places to Senfe and Truth? 
 And after all dont the moft Learned of all Tar- 
 ties frankly acknowledge ; that often they can 
 make neither Truth nor Senfe cf them ? What 
 then jhall be dont in this, cafe ? Shall we con- 
 ceal or defend thofe Faults ? The World is too 
 fyarp-figfced to let us do either ; and if it was 
 not, our Hvly Religicft is too firmly grounded t& 
 ftand ;n need of ' fuch Pious Frauds, and recom- 
 mends Hcnefty and Sincerity too much Jo allow its 
 Frofeffors to make ufe of them . 
 
 And in e fife cl we find, that Mbufters in their 
 F ul fits often complain of the Tranflations cf 
 their Texts j Nay, fome make the moft fart of 
 their Sermons confift of various Reading?, di- 
 ver fe Acceptations, and of nice Criticisms, and 
 Grammaticisms, to the yuzxding of ' the Un- 
 learned, and the wearying and vexing of the 
 Learned Hearer. But with fubmiffion, I think, 
 that rather than be thus always nibbling at the 
 Faults of Tranflations, they fhculd endeavour to 
 §iew, once for all, that there is a ncceffity of re- 
 forming them y and then joyn their Heads toge- 
 ther to carry on fo necejfary a Work, 
 
 There has been but too much- writ already on 
 the Controverted Dc thine s of Chrifiianity. The 
 fatal neceffity of difputing, without fuccefs, a- 
 gainft Opinions, which the Prejudice and Pride 
 of fever al Fatties have invented, has furnijh'd 
 ps with fo much already on this Suhjecl, that 
 the moft contentious Spirit can fcarce defire more., 
 But the effect of all thofe Learned Skirmifies- 
 
 has 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 tas hen to charge Religion, which is the Art of 
 Holy , to an Art of Quibbling and So- 
 
 phiflry, which has produced juch umcafonablc 
 Heats and Animofitics, as have entirely deflroy d 
 Brotherly Love, without which none can jufily 
 pretend to Love God. 
 
 It is true we have atjo fome Books of Mot 
 ty and Devotion: But It 'fides that they are gene- 
 rally either too flrtf't cr too loofe 3 Is there any 
 Work of th'n Nature comparable to the Holy Scrip- 
 tures rightly Tranflatedl Can we defirc anv 
 thing more Per feci or Profitable, than the Holy 
 Oracles, which God hath d-efgnd for Dctlrine, 
 for Reproof] for Correction, and for Inftruclion in 
 Right eoufnefs, that the Man of God may be per - 
 febt, throughly furnified unto every good Work \ 
 They are the only Inexhaufiible Treafure, where- 
 in we can find the unjearchable Riches of the 
 Knowledge, Bounty, Wifdom, Juftice* Power, 
 and all other Ptrftclions of God 3 as alfo the In- 
 fallible Rules of our own Duty, together with all 
 the AJfiftances needful Jo dij charge them aright, 
 and to attain to the chief efi Happinefs we arc ca 
 fable of, in this and the ether World. 7 bey arc the 
 Light which only can dlffipate all Errors, and 
 all Vices, and re [lore the Church of God 1 its 
 Trimitivc Splendor. They are the only meant 
 cf conspofing our Differences , and putting a 
 happy Period to t/jofe fatal Contr over fie s, which 
 have fo much ruin d that mutual Charity which 
 God fo earneflly commands us to have one to- 
 wards another: And therefore it jhould be the 
 defire and fiudy of all Sincere Chrijlians to have 
 * clear and exaft Tranflalion cf thsm. To jltw 
 
 1 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 which is the defrgn of this Ejjay ; how well it is 
 done I leave others to Judge, 
 
 I have for the greater Pleafure and Profit of 
 the Unlearned, as much as was poffible, thrown 
 the Greek and Hebrew, the Schocl Terms, the 
 Names of Authors and bare Quotations of Scrips 
 ture, by way of Annotations, to the end of the 
 Chapters, beeaufe they would have render d the 
 Stile rugged and uneafie, and alfo unintelligible 
 to f>me Readers : But after all, fame hard Words 
 c uldnot be avoided in a Work of this Nature j 
 but I have endeavour d to exprefs the Sentences 
 where they are imploy d after fuch a manner, as 
 generally makes the meaning of them obvious to 
 an ordinary Capacity, 
 
 I have aljo fubjoynd a Table of all the places 
 ff Scripture cited in both Tarts, that one may im- 
 mediately know what Texts arc contain d in it, 
 and likewije where to find them, which may be 
 of ufe to all, but efpecially to thofe who have not 
 time enough to per ufe great Volumes. 
 
 To conclude, This Effa^ has the Authority of 
 the moft Learned Commentators, Interpreters^ 
 and Critlcks of all Parties to fupport it, Jo that 1 
 need not be very folicitous what Judgment may 
 be pajjed upon it, fince the very worfi I can ex- 
 petl is to be condemn d with fuch good Compa- 
 ny. 
 
 Haud timeo fi jam nequeo defendere Crimen 
 Cum rancis commune viris. 
 
 Ovid. Met. I. ij. 
 
 AN 
 
[ I J 
 
 PART II. CHAP. I. 
 
 That the Verfions often confound the 
 Terfonsj Countries and Miwis^ of 
 which the Scripture fpeaks. 
 
 L \ f% Oft Verfions often confound the 
 XV Jl Pcribns of whom the Scripture 
 fpeaks, and ievcral things which relate to 
 them. 
 
 For Example, Gen. 10. it. they attri- 
 bute to Ajsur the Son of SBebr, an A- 
 dtion which relates manifcftly to Nim- 
 rod, Grand-child to Qbam % tho' it is evi- 
 dent that Mofes only fpeaks of the Poftc- 
 rity of Cham from Verfe 6. to Verfe 20, 
 and that he is fo far from fpeaking of the 
 Actions of Ajfut\ Verfe 1 1. that he does 
 not mention his Birth till Verfe n. be- 
 fidcs that Ajjyria is call'd the Country of 
 Nimrod, Mich. 5. 6. But the learned Bocbart % ( ,, j 
 after feveral others, has clearly proved, 
 that the word Jjffur, in this place, is ta- 
 ken for AjfyrLu He alii) remarks, tha: 
 that which we tranflate went ost, figni- 
 fies here to [ally out, or to go to War, as ( 2. ) 
 B b it 
 
[ l] 
 
 it does in feveral other places of Scrip- 
 (3.) ture. We mult therefore translate this 
 Verfc thus, he /allied out, or went to War 
 againft AiTyria, as St. Jerom and others, 
 have rendered it. 
 
 II. All the Verfions often fall into 
 Faults of this kind, by not taking No- 1 
 tice, that the Scripture frequently calls 
 Cities, Kingdoms, and their Inhabitants, 
 by the fame name with their Kings and 
 Founders ,• but a Verfion ought to diftin- 
 guifh them exa&ly, if it be defign'd to be 
 underftood. When the name Ajjur figni- 
 fies the Son of Shew, it iliould be kept 
 in a Verfion ; but when it fignifies his 
 Country, it fliould be rendered Ajfyria, 
 and when it fignifies the Inhabitants of 
 the Country, it fhould be tranflated A/ 
 fyrians. We ought to retain the names 
 of ffraely Efau 9 Eclom^ Reuhen, Simeon, Le+ 
 vi, Zahulon, Dan^ Naphthali^ &c. when 
 they denote thefe Perlbns ; but we can- 
 not keep them in a Verfon when they 
 fignify their Pofterity, without expo- 
 fing the Reader to confufion and miftakes, 
 and we mull neceflarily tranflate the 1/ 
 raelites 3 the Edomites^ the Reaheniies^ the 
 Simeonites, &c. 
 
 III. This Remark is fo much the more 
 important, becaufe ? for not having ol>- 
 
 ferved 
 
[3 J 
 icivcu it, a!) Vcrfions have con founded 
 oral People with their Founders, and 
 have exprcifed thcmfclvcs in luch a man- 
 ner, as gives occafion co think that whole 
 Collonies were bur one particular Pcr- 
 ion. When we read Gen. 10.4. 6. 13. and 
 14. and 1 Chron. 1,7.8.11. and 1 z. That 
 /'/////« and Dodaniw were the Sons ofjfo- 
 *va» y that Mifrahim was the Son of Cham, 
 and that Mifrahim begat Ludim, and Ha* 
 tianim, Lehaliw, Napbthi<im^ Fathrajim, 
 Chajlaim and Caphtonw, we arc ready to - 
 imagine that they arc fo many proper ^ 4 ' 
 Names of particular Men, and yctfeve- 
 ral learned Men have evidently proved, 
 that thofe Names do jfignify ieveral dif- 
 ferent People, and the very plural ter- 
 mination makes it ib evident, that one 
 who underflands the leaf! Hebrew muft 
 be ftupid not to acknowledge it. But 
 fincc the People have no knowledge of 
 thole reafons which hinder the Learned 
 from being miftaken on the like occasi- 
 ons, thofe who take upon them to tran- 
 slate, ought to remove thofe ambiguities 
 and exprefs things after a clear and intel- 
 ligible manner. It is not my bufincft 
 here to fliow what Nations are precifely 
 undcrllood by thofe Names, but I am 
 perfuaded that it had been much more 
 B b 1 iiaturif 
 
[4J 
 natural, and much more proper to ex- 
 prefs the meaning of the facred Writers, 
 Co have tranflated them thus, the Kittites 
 and Dodanites were the Poflerity of fa- 
 van ; the Egyptians were the Poflerity of 
 Cham ; the LuditeSy Hanamites, Lehabites, 
 NaphtuhiteSy Pathrafites, Chafblaites and 
 CafhtoriteSy were the Defcendants of the 
 Egyptians. 
 
 IV. The Geneva Verfion and Ours, 
 have very well rendered that there was 
 Darknefs over all the Land, at the Eclipfe 
 which happened at our Saviour's death, 
 Matth.zj. 4 j. Mark 15. 33. Luke 23. 44. 
 tho' the Word which they render, the 
 whole Landy fignifies, the whole habitable 
 Earth, in many other places ; and they 
 fliould have Tranflated it tco after the 
 fame manner in ibme places where they 
 have negle&ed to do it. For as all Inter- 
 preters do remark, that this general Ex- 
 preflion fliould be reftrain d, and limited 
 to thofe places of the World which are 
 fpoken of, and according to the Cuftom 
 of thofe who fpeak, and the time wherein 
 they live. Whence Grotius, and others have 
 obferved, tli£t in the Prophecies which 
 fpeak of the ruhrot the Jews, the fame ex- 
 predion is always to be tranflated by that 
 ofaUthe Land, Luke 21.26.and that when 
 
 the 
 
[ 5 ] 
 the Romans did call their Empire the 
 World, becaufe it was the mod confidera- 
 bJe pare of it, \vc fhould tranfla:c that cx- 
 preflion, by that of the Reman Empire. 
 We mud therefore tranflate Luke n. if, 
 x6. And the Inhabitants of that Country 
 jhallle in perplexity and defpainf, as when 
 the Sea and its leaves do roar ; Mens hearts 
 jailing them for fear of thofe things which 
 are coming on that Country, Math. 4. 8. 
 Then the Deri! brought him vp into an ex- 
 ceeding high Mountain, and fl'cweth him 
 all the Kingdoms of the Roman Empire, 
 Luk. 2. 1. And it came to pafs in thofe 
 days , that there went out a Decree from 
 Ca:far Auguftus that all the Roman Em- 
 pire fhould be taxed, AGs. 11. 28. Aga- 
 bus Jignified by the Spirit that there fhould 
 be a great Dearth throughout all the Roman 
 Empire, and Rom. 1. 8. That your jaith 
 is fpoken off through all the Roman Em- 
 pire. 
 
 V. Vat alius , Junius and tremelius, and 
 Lndovicus de Dieu have remarked, that 
 all the Vcrfions, except the Chaldee Pa- 
 raphrafe, have transformed the place 
 where Samfom killed the Vhilijtines, 
 which is called Lchi, into a Jaw-bone ; 
 ond a hollow Rock which was in that 
 place, into a hollow Tooth which was 
 Bb 3 
 
U] 
 
 in the Jaw-bone; Judge 1 5. ip.tranflating, 
 
 But God clave an hollow place, which was in 
 thejan\and r there cameWaterthereout ,wher£- 
 as they fhould have tranflated, God clave a 
 hollow Rock called Mactes which was atLe- 
 hi, &c. The fame Pvock Mactes, is men- 
 tioned Zephaniah, 1. 2. And P. Levi 
 remarks that it was fo called, becaufe it 
 had the Figure of a Mortar ; the Chaldee 
 Taraphrvfe, that it was fcituatcd near 
 the Brook Kedron, or near Tilerias, ac- 
 cording to the Allegorical Comments of 
 
 $£dr*s the Jews. Nor did Jofephus, the Hifto- 
 jfrtfiq d nL r * an > underftand this Text otherwife, 
 
 7. c 10. when he remarks, c That God having 
 ' heard the Prayers of Samfon, made a 
 ' Fountain to fpring in a Rock, which 
 \ did lend out abundance of fvveet and 
 * clear Water ; and thofe that have Tra- 
 
 WW* ' ve ^ through Pa left in do aflbre us that 
 
 ?**&. this Fountain remains to this day. St. 
 Jercm tells us he faw it, and Michael 
 Glycas who lived about the Year 11 20 
 fays, that it was to befeen at that time, 
 in the Suburbs of Eleuiheropolis, and that 
 it was called the Fountain of the Javj. 
 
 VI. The Vulgar Latin, the Geneva 
 
 Verfion, and Ours, have often been mifta- 
 
 r I \ ken, in Tranfiating the terms of the 
 
 1 Original, which fignify fome Country, 
 
 : ' They 
 
[ 7 1 
 They always confound Arahia the Stony, 
 which bounded Egypt towards the Land 
 of Canaan, with Etlfppia, which was at 
 a very great diftance from it on the o- 
 thcr fide, and which the Scripture al- 
 ways calls LhJ. To be convinced of 
 this, we are to confider with Bocbart (i)f^' ; 
 That Sephora, whom Mofcs married, what-*-.' 2, ' 
 ever the Verfions fay, was not an Ethi- 
 opian but a Midianite, and that the Pro- 
 phet Habakkuk, ipcaks of Cufhan, and 
 Midian as of the lame Country Habak. 
 3. 7. (z) That the Prophet Eze k iel de- 
 ferring how far the defolation of Egypt 
 fhould reach, extends it from the Tower 
 of Syene, which was its Frontier towards ( 
 Ethiopia, to the Frontiers ofCufian, that \ f 
 is to fay, of Arabia, which was the 0- 
 ther extremity of Egypt, Ezekiel 29. 10. 
 and that when he fays, that God Ihould 
 fend a Fire to Egypt, and Meflengers in 
 Ships, to make the careleis Cujhians a- 
 fraid, he underftands Arabia whither the 
 Egyptians oftentimes went by the Red- 
 Sea, and not Ethiopia, from whence there 
 was no coming to Egypt, but by the Ri- 
 ver Nilw, and where Ships could not 
 come, becaufc ofthcCatara&s which are 
 near to Syene. (3) That Tyrhakah who is 
 mentioned^ Kings 19. io.could not come 
 B b ^ againft 
 
C7-5 
 
 [8 ] 
 againft JJJyria before they heard of 
 ic, if he had been King of Ethiopia ; be- 
 caufe he muft firft have iubdued Egypt. 
 (4) That the Arabians were repreiented 
 as Neighbours to the Cujbians, z. Chron. 
 11. 16. which cannot be laid of the Ethic 
 plans. (5) That Egypt is defcribed as fci- 
 tuated beyond the Rivers of Cujh, with rc- 
 fpect to Pale/lift. (6) And laflly, That 
 Job fpeaks of the Topazes of Cu/h, which 
 cannot wellbe undcrftood of Ethiopia, no 
 Author having fpoken of the precious 
 Stones of Ethiopia, whereas frequent 
 mention is made of the Topazes of Arabia^ 
 as may be feen in Vl'my. 
 
 VII. Trie Vulgar Latin has alfb mani- 
 
 feftly confounded, in the places referr'd 
 
 to in the Margin, the hydians, a People 
 
 of Ajh7j with the Ethiopians who are in 
 
 Africa whom the Hebrews did call Lud 
 
 or Ludim. This has obliged moft part 
 
 of other Verfions to retain the Hebrew 
 
 Names in thofe places : But fince there is 
 
 no People at this time who bear thole 
 
 Names, and that beudes they are fome- 
 
 timc3 conuru6led after fuch a manner, 
 
 that they feem rather to fignify a /Ingle 
 
 Perfon. than a Nation, the Verfions 
 
 ihould have made no greater fcruple to 
 
 ave Translated them by the word i> 
 
 thiopians^ 
 
[9l 
 
 thiopians, which they evidently fignify 
 in all thofe places • than they have done 
 on other occafions, where they have a- 
 bandoncd the Hebrew words, to exprefs 
 only that which is meant and understood 
 by them. Bochart gives ten rcafons to 
 prove that thofe terms cannot but fignify 
 the Ethiopians 9 i. The word Lud in 
 Arabicky fignifies that which is crook- ( ' 
 ed, or that which winds and turns about, 
 becaufe Hiftorians have remark'd that 
 the River Niliis which partes in a (height 
 Line through Egypt, winds about, as itjfc&M 
 goes thro' Ethiopia, x. The Prophets Jfatah Jtr.46.% 
 and Jerem/ah repvc\cnt the Nations which 
 they call ZW, as a People that were dex- 
 trous at handling the Bow, which was 
 alio the ordinary Arms of the Ethiopians^ 
 as Hiftorians obferve, who add further that 
 they made ufe of Cows four Cubits long. 
 (3.; Jfaiah alio joins the Nation hud with ^' ' 
 that of ?ul\ that is to lay with Vhile, a 
 Town icituated between the River tfilus 
 and Ethiopia, and he manifeftiy fpcaks 
 of the Calling of the Gentiles, by which 
 his Prophecy was fulfilled, when the 
 Eunuch of Can dace, Queen of the Ethiopi- 
 ans mentioned Alls 8. 27. preached the 
 <}ofpel in that Country with fuch fuc? 
 cefs, that the Chriftian Faith continues 
 
 tin 
 
C<c) 
 
 [ io 3 
 
 there to this day. (4,) The Prophet Jere* 
 miah fortelling the ruin of Egypt, invites 
 the neighbouring People to be Witnefles 
 of it, faying, Come up ye HorfeSj and let 
 the mighty Men come forth, thoje of Cufh 
 and Pul, ( that is, the Arabians on the 
 one fide, and the Lydians on the other ) 
 that handle the Shield ; and Ludim, that 
 is the Ethiopians towards the South, that 
 handle ana lend the Bow, Jer. 46. 9. (5-.) It 
 is obferved, that Ludim were the Defen- 
 dants of Mifraim, that is the Defcendants 
 of the Egyptians, Gen. 10. 13. 1 Chrcn. 1. 
 1 1 . Now the Ethiopians were a Gollony 
 qfthoEgyptians: They were two neighbou- 
 ring People who agreed in feveral things, 
 as in their Hieroglificks, Circumtifion, Ado- 
 ration of their Kings the Worihip of 
 Jupiter Hammin, of Hercules, ofPd#,and 
 of Ifis ; they were both oi: a black colour, 
 their hair was frizled, and they had a 
 particular care of their Sepulchers. ( 6 ) 
 The Paraphrafe of Jerujalem Tranflates 
 rfi£ words Lud and Ludim by that of 
 Marcotes y but we muft correct this w r ord, 
 and read Meroiies, that is, the Inhabi- 
 tzntsof Mc/oe, anlftandof Ethiopia; and 
 El/as Levita expreflcs them by the Coun- 
 try ot Pr eft er John. (7.) Baal Arucl &y$ 9 
 tint the Lydians were Men-eaters ; and 
 
 the 
 
[ II 1 
 
 the Ethiopians were the only People of fn ) 
 Africa of whom this is reported. The 
 Talmud reprefents the Indians as continu- 
 al eaters, and Diodorus Skulus reprefents 
 the Ethiopians as always eating, and yet 
 always hungry : Thele, and feveral o- 
 ther reafons, may be iccn at large in the 
 learned Bochart, which undeniably prove, 
 that Lud and Ludim fignify theEthiopians, 
 and that they fhould be tranflatcd fo, if 
 we would have tnoft Readers underftand 
 them. And for the fame Reafon too ie- 
 veral Hebrew Names of People and Coun- 
 tries ought to be cxpreited by thofe 
 Names which are now given them, be- 
 caufe their Ancient Names are not un- 
 derftood. 
 
 VIII. The Vulgar Latin, the Verfion 
 of Geneva and Ours don't fecm to have 
 ilicceeded better in Tranflating Job 9. 26. 
 the firfl: Saying, They Are pajfed away 
 like Ships which carry Apples ; and the 
 other two J They haze pvjfed away as 
 fwift Ships. It* k true, that the Hebrew 
 word which the^ulgar Latin Tranflatcs ^ l1 '^ 
 Apples may come from 3 word which fig- 
 nifies Fruits or green Herbs but there can 
 no reafon be given why it fhould be de- 
 termined to fignify Apples rather than 
 any other kind of Fruit, or Herbs. And 
 
 there 
 
[ I* ] 
 
 ( 1 3-) there is as little reafoa to render it fmift 
 Ships. It were therefore better, as feve- 
 ral Learned Men have obferved, to re- 
 tain the word ufed in the original, and 
 to Translate; They have pajfed away as 
 the Ships 0/Ebeh, becaufe there are two 
 Rivers of that Name in the Country 
 where Job dwelt, one of which is near 
 to Cupha 9 and the other in the Province 
 oiBabihn^ called Wafit^ which is the Mi- 
 Jenum of the Greeks, 
 
 IX. The Verfions do likewife exprefs 
 too generally by the Name of Sea, all 
 the Waters which are gathered together 
 into one place, tho' often times they are 
 nothing more than Ponds or Lakes ; as 
 when they fpeak of the Sea of Genefaretl\ 
 , of Tiberias, ®c. The Rivet Euphrates is 
 
 t x 40 alio frequently, by way of eminency > 
 called the River in the Old Teftament, 
 and fornetimes the Rivers in the plural 
 number, but we muft tranfiate the River 
 Euphrates to take away the ambiquity : And 
 that which o^r Tranflatcfrs render //^ Gate 
 ((the Rivers, Nahum. x.^rjnQuld be tranfla- 
 :l, the Month of the River Tigris, which is 
 the true figmfication of that expreiJion. 
 
 r X.' Tis likewife a manifeft Errour to re*. 
 
 v 5 '" tain in the Verfions the names of great Sea % 
 ::it Sea : For to take thole Expired 
 
 /ions 
 
[•■«3 1 
 
 fions according to the letter, there is none 
 but would think that the great Sea Signi- 
 fies the Ocean, and that the Wefi em Sea 
 did fignify the Well an or Atfanthk Ocean, 
 tho' in the Scripture-Stile thefe Expref- 
 fions do only fignify the Mediterranean, 
 which is not lb called in oppofition to 
 other Seas, or to the other three parts of 
 the World, but only in oppofition to the 
 Lakes oi^udea, and becauie it lies to the 
 Weft of that Country, as St. Jerom has **£ : 
 very Judicioufly obferv'd. In all the pla- 
 ces therefore where thofe ExprcfTions arc 
 found, we are to Tranflate tie Mediter- 
 ranean, or the Mediterranean to the Weft. 
 We muft likewife manifeftly redify the (16.) 
 Verfions where they fpeak of the Eajl Sea, 
 and Tranflate the Red Sea, or the Dead 
 Sea on the Eaft, becauie thole two Seas 
 were the Frontiers of Judea towards the 
 the Eaft, as may be feen tfurrik 34. 6, 
 7. Exod. 23. 31. whereas by leaving the 
 Eaft Sea in the Verfions, there's occa- 
 sion given to the Reader to imagin, that 
 it is to be undcrftood of the Eaflern or 
 Indian Sea which now bears that Name. 
 For the fame reafon when we find the Ex- 
 preflion to wander, or to Ride from Sea to ( 
 Sea, w f e arc to Tranilace to wander, or to 
 Ride from the Red Sea, cr from the Dead 
 
 Se, 
 
[ i4 1 
 
 Sea to the Mediterranean, becaufe the Do* 
 minions of 'Solomon, and of the Pojterity 
 of David, extended no further* 
 
 XL Our Tranflators have committed a 
 double miftake in rendring that which A- 
 time lech lays to Sarah, Gen. 20. 1 6. Behold 
 I have given thy Brother a Thouj and pieces of 
 Silver, behold he is to the a Covering of the 
 Eyes, into all that are with thee, and with 
 all others : Thus fhe was reproved. For 1 „ 
 The word which they render reproved 
 never has that meaning, but flgnifies 
 to fearch or inquire into a thing, till it is 
 (*$•) clear'd and put out of doubt, x. There 
 was no need for a reproof then, for Abra- 
 ham had already fully Juftified Sarah, ver. 
 ix. And Abimelech had accepted of his 
 defence, 3. Abimelech was fo far from 
 irritating Abraham or Sarah by reproaches ; 
 that on the contrary he endeavoured to 
 win their Friendlhip by a very confidera- 
 bie Prefent. Nay, before Abimelech was 
 fatisfied, his reproaches to Abraham were 
 rather obliging Remonfirances, than bit- 
 ter inve&ives, v. 9. 10. He therefore 
 declares, that Sarah was fully juftified as 
 the Septuagint and Chaldee Paraphrafe have 
 rendred it. But there's another Miftake 
 in the Tranflarion of this Text, for it is of 
 Abraham that it fays, that he was a co- 
 vering 
 
[ *$ ] 
 
 vcring to the eyes of Sarah, whereas the 
 Original fays this of the thouiand pieces 
 of Silver which were a publick Tellimo- 
 ny that fibimelech rendered to her Virtue, 
 as the vails of the Helrew Women were 
 the fymbols of their modefty ; whereas 
 the Harlots went open-faced. So that 
 this Prefent rather regarded Sarah than 
 Abraham, to whom that Prince had al- 
 ready given Sheep and Oxen, and Men- 
 Servants and Women-Servants, and re- 
 ftored him Sarah his Wife, giving him 
 likewife an Offer of fctling in any place 
 of his Country which belt pleated him* 
 Abimelectis deiign then by this Liberali- 
 ty, was to teftify the virtue of Sarah 
 to them who belonged to her, and to all 
 others ; it being ulual then to give P re- 
 fents to confirm the truth of any thing 
 that might be called in doubt, as may 
 be fecn Gen.zi. 30, The words then 
 ihould be thus Tranflated, Behold I have DuhT ,r x ^ 
 given thy Brother five hundred Crowns in &**•!. L 
 filver, which is to thee a covering of tbe^ av,Sm 
 Eyes to all that are with thee, and to all V ^t. 
 others, for thou art fully Juflified y as Pfeif 
 jer after Flaccius has obferved. 
 
 XII. The Verfions have likewife ma- 
 nifeftly corrupted that Text, which 
 fpeaks of the Vineyard of Nah>th, 1. 
 
 Kings 
 
[ 16} 
 
 Kings 21.1 z. And it came to pajs after tbefe 
 things that Naboth the Jezreelite, had a 
 Vineyard which was i# Jezreel, hard by the 
 Palace of Ahab King of Samaria. For 
 it was Naboth that dwelt in Jezreel, and 
 his Vineyard was in Samariah near the 
 Palace of King Ahab. We muft there- 
 fore Tranflate, And it came to pafs 
 after thefe things, that Naboth the Jez~ 
 reelite, who dwelt in Jezreel, had a Vi- 
 neyard in Samariah, hard by the Palace of 
 King Ahab. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. I. 
 
 y ^ As Drufius ad dif loca Gen. zy. Aljled 
 ■ ' J Chron. p. 174. Fuller Mifcel lib, 1. Cap. 4. 
 And they obferve thattho* the local Par- 
 ticle Lamed or He or El does not go be- 
 fore Affur, yet this does not hinder it 
 from being the Name of a Place, becaufe 
 tbofe Particles are underftood in feveral 
 other Texts ; as when the word Beth is 
 put for Lbeth t 2 Sam. 6. 19. which is 
 writ at length, 1 Chron. 13. 13. And as 
 we only read Arets, z S*m. 10. 2. in- 
 (lead of ElaretSj 1 Chron. 19. 2. 
 ( 2 ) As Numb. 27. 17. Deut. 28. 6. and 31. 
 2. Judges, 2. 15. and 11. 3. zSam.j. 2j. 
 2. Chron. 1. 10. Pja* 60. 10. 
 
 As 
 
f 17 ] 
 As St. C)'ii!h\ Cornell ' i - (2.) 
 
 frcrjus y Pfe/jfcr, &C. 
 
 As Arias fiiontanus. Bochart, Fhaleg. p. ( j ) 
 
 i.J. 1. 7 /<?//.' ' . ^///c-//. 47. 48, Cr*- 
 ^w, &c. 
 
 Numb. 11. 1. i A7*g5 19- 9- 2, Chron. (5) 
 14.9. and 21. 16. Job. 28. 19. //j. 18. 1. 
 Jer. 13. 23. £ze£. 29. 10. and 30.9. £fa- 
 bac. 3. 7. Zf/>/\ 3. 10. Amos 9. 7- &c. 
 
 The Tower of Syene was the Frontier ( <*• ) 
 of ££)/>/" towards Ethiopia according to 
 /7/wy /////. Na/. 1. $.c. 9. Solinus 1. jy. 
 Strabo I. 1 7. and Jofephus cic Bello Judaico 
 lib. 5-. c. 1. 
 
 As Gdv/. 10. 13. 1. CZvvtf. 1. xi. //j. 66. ( 7. ) 
 19. Jer. 46.9. £**£ 30. 5". 
 
 See Herodotus 1. c. 24. Diodorus Siculus ( 8. ) 
 1. 1. Strabo. I. 17. 
 
 Strabo, Heliodorus. 1. 9. Herodotus I. 6. ( 9- ) 
 Diodorus Siculus, 1. 3. Solinus t 1. 30. Ob- 
 serve that the Ethiopians made ufe of 
 Bows of this length; and the very Name 
 of N/J/icaJles which /7/#y gives to the £- 
 thiopians lib, 6. Cap. 30. is a plain Cor- 
 ruption of the Hebrew words Mofike- 
 Kejcetk\ which fignify iuch as handle the 
 Bow, If a. 66. 19. Jer. 46.9. 
 
 Salmafius re&ifics a like fault in the (ic.) 
 Poet Lucan^ where inftcad of Ebenus 
 Quamvis mare otic a , \vc mud read "Ebenus 
 C c auamvis 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 quamiis weroitica, in Solinum p. 387* 
 (11.) Pliny , Solium , Ptolomy Philoflorgos, 
 
 &c. reprefcnt the Ethiopians as the only 
 
 People of Jffrua that did eat Mens 
 
 Flefh. 
 (12.) The Hebrew word Eleth may come 
 anc j from the word Eh, which fignifies fruit, 
 (13.) or from the Arabick Aba which fignifies 
 
 to take Journy, but 'tis more natural to 
 
 take it for a proper Name, with R. Solo- 
 
 won, Vatablas, Pagnh, Mercer, Bochart, 
 
 Hieroz, T. 2./. 1. c. 2. p. 171, 
 /- \ (j^/. 31. 21. Exod. 23. 31. Numb. 22. 
 
 5*. 7^ 24, 2. 2 Sam. 10. 16. 1. #/;/£5 4. 
 
 21. 24. and 14. 1 j. 1. Chrcn. 19. 16. 2. 
 
 Qhron. 9. 26. £27*4, 4. 10. 11. 16. 20. ^nd 
 
 5. 3. 6. 8. 1 3. and 7. 21. 25. Nehew. 2. 7. 
 
 9. and 3. 7. F/2r. 72. 8. and 80. 11. If 7. 
 
 20. and 8. 7. and 27. iz.Jer. 2. 18. Af/oz^ 
 
 7. 12. Zachar. 9. 10. 
 (if.*.) As Numb, 34. 6, 7. D<?#/. 11. 24. and 
 
 34. 2 Jof. 14. and 9. 1. and if. 12. 47. 
 
 and 2}. 4. Ez?£. 47. 15. 19. and 48. 18. 
 
 Joel z. 2C« Zachar. 14. 8. feV. 
 ( 16.) ?^ 2 * 2 °- E-^-47- 1 8.2^.i 4.8. SV. 
 Amos 8. 12. Micah. 7. 12. <£#<:. 9. 10. 
 
 The Hebrew szzhNucach is thus taken. 
 /yC 1. 18. jM. 2Jc 7. 2 £##*. ij- 3* 3W. 
 24. 27. 
 
 chap; 
 
 07;) 
 
[ 19 ] 
 
 C H A P. 
 
 Of the Faults of the Verfions in expref- 
 
 ig the Coins,, Weights^ and %fea* 
 
 J ares j of which the Scripture ffeaks. 
 
 HE Scripture ofcen fpcaks of She- 
 kels, and other forts of Money 
 which were in ufe amonglt the Ifraelnes ; 
 but the People can have but a very con- 
 fided Notion of their Value, and there- 
 fore they ihouid be reduced to the Coins 
 which are now in ufe amonglt us. Some 
 affirm, that there were two forts of She* 
 kels, one cailed the facred Shekel, or the 
 Shekel of the Sanctuary ; and the other 
 called the Ccwttwn or Civil Shekel ; the 
 Provincial or Royal Shekel. The jacred 
 Shekel is tiled in 1 peaking of the Ranfom 
 paid by every one at their Numbering, 
 of the weight of the Spices for the holy 
 Oyl, of the Gold that was uicd about ( u) 
 the Tabernacle , of the Pole-Money , 
 Trcfpais-Money, the Eftimation of Per- 
 Ions, and Value of Things, the Redemp- 
 tion Money for the Firft-born, the Of- 
 ferings of the Prince, and the Price of 
 Cc z thole 
 
thofe that were to be Redeemed. This 
 Shekel was of Silver, weighed about half 
 an Ounce, and anfwered in value to two 
 Shillings three - pence , farthing* half- 
 farthing, Englifti. The other Shekel was 
 lefs by the half, both in Weight ancT 
 Value ; and was irnployed by the He- 
 Irevos, in their Civil and Political Affairs y 
 both before and after the Law. 
 
 But as the antient Hebrews, the Chal- 
 deans ^ the Syrians, and the firft Romans, 
 had not their Money ftamp'd and mark'd 
 like ours; and that they traded for the 
 molt part by Barter ; they rather gave 
 out their feveral pieces of Money by 
 Weight than by Number, alrnoft as the 
 greateft part of the Indians Trade with 
 the Aftaticks and Europeans at this day. 
 Whence it happens, that the word Shekel 
 dees as frequently fignifie in Scripture 
 an half Ounce, or a quarter of an Ounce, as 
 ic does pieces of Money of the fame 
 weight. 
 
 And nowfuppofing the Shekel to have 
 this twofold acceptation, a Tranflator, to 
 avoid Ambiguity, ought to fpecifie the 
 value or weight of the Shekel that is meant 
 in every Paflage of Scripture. Thus the 
 half Shekel mentioned Exodus 30. 13- 
 fliould be rendred near fourteen-pence, or 
 
 a P re ~ 
 
[ II ] 
 
 precifcly thirteen-pence half-penny , and 
 three fourths of a farthing. And the fifty 
 Shekels that were to be the Eftimanon 
 o r thc Male, from twenty years old to fix- 
 /y, Lev. 27. j. fliould be xzndrQd five 
 pounds fourteen fhillings, half -penny farthing. 
 And the twenty Shekels which were the 
 Eftimation of the Male from five years old 
 to twenty, Lev. 27. 5. Two pounds five 
 fhillings /even-pence half-penny. The thir- 
 ty pieces of (ilver which the Chief Priefts 
 gave Judas for betraying of Chrifl, Matt. 
 26. if. amounts to about three pounds 
 eight fhillings and fix-pence of our Money, 
 becaufe they were Shekels of the Sanctu- 
 ary, And thus a Tranflator fliould ex- 
 prefs them if he would be underftood. 
 
 IF. But on the contrary, in the places 
 where the Scripture fpeaks of the Civil 
 or Common Shekels, we muft reduce them 
 to the half of this weight and value; fo 
 that the thoufand Shekels which Ahime- 
 lech gave to Abraham , Gen. 20. 16. a- 
 mounted to about fifty feven pounds feven 
 pence halfpenny, Englifh; the four hund- 
 red Shekels which Abraham paid unto 
 Rphron, Gen. 23 . 1 5. to twenty four pounds 
 fix teen fhillings and tl ree-pence ; the t wen* 
 ty Shekels for which Jojeplr*xz$ Ibid by 
 his Brethren, Gen. 37. 28. to ere pound 
 C c 3 tii0 
 
[ x»] 
 
 two killings nine-pence half-penny farthing. 
 The four/core Shekels for which an Afles 
 Head was fold for at the Siege of Sama- 
 ria, to four pound eleven (hillings three- 
 pence : And the five Shekels for which a 
 fmall meafure of pulfe was fold, to five 
 /hillings eight-pence halfpenny. * 
 
 111. We mufl: keep the fame propor- 
 tion between the Shekels in weight , whe- 
 ther they be of Gold or Silver, or Brafs 
 or Iron. An Englijh Tranflator Ihould 
 fay, that the filver Charger, which the 
 chief of the Ifraelites did offer for the 
 dedicating of the Altar, weighed four 
 pounds and one Ounce, Averdupois, being 
 in value fourteen pounds fixteen fhillings 
 [even-pence-, becaule the Shekels there 
 mentioned were facred Shekels. But 
 they fliould fay , that Abfolorrfs hair 
 weighed four pound and two ounces, which 
 anfwer to the two hundred Common She- 
 kels, which the Original fpeaks of, z 
 Sam. 14. 26. unlets we rather underftand 
 that place of the value of his hair, which 
 is much more probable.^ For the fame rea- 
 ion they ihould fay, that the Golden Spcon 
 mentioned, Numb. 7. 14. weighed five 
 ounces, which anfwer to ten facred She- 
 'lt£k in weight. But that the wedge of Gold 
 which Achan h&dfiok,Jof. 7. 21, weigh 
 
 cd 
 
[ *3 ] 
 ed twelve Ounces and an half f which an- 
 ivvcr to fifty Common Shekels ; that Co 
 Hob's Helmet, i Sam. 17. 5. weighed 
 Jeventy eight pound and two ounces of Brafs, 
 which anfvvcr to five tboufand common 
 Shekels, and that his Spears head, v. 7. 
 vvciged nine found fix ources of Iron, which 
 aniwer to the weight of fix hundred com* 
 mon Shekels. 
 
 IV. It is alio nccefiary,to avoid obfeurity 
 and ambiguity, to rcuu e thole names to 
 their jufl value, when it is evident their 
 weight alone does not come under confe- 
 deration. All Interpreters are very much 
 puzzled to find, that David bought the 
 Thre/hing-flcor, and the Oxen, for fifty (he- 
 kels of filver y 2 Sam. 24. 24. And that 
 David gave to Oman for the place fix hun- 
 dred fhekels of Gold by weight, 1 Chron. 
 11.25. Some think that theThrefliing- 
 floor alone, and the Oxen, are meant by 
 the Author of the Book of Samuel ; but 
 that in that of the Chronicles we are to 
 understand all the Land and Houfcs there- 
 about that did belong to Oman ; but 
 this Interpretation feems to be force*) 
 and unnatural. Thoie who made the 
 Geneva Verfion, thought that the 
 fhekeU of filler which arefpoken of iv the 
 Book of SV \ were only the price of 
 the Oxen; wherefore they have mferted 
 C 
 
[ Ml 
 in the Text, in Italick Letters, he hought 
 alfo, before the word Oxer?. The Rab- 
 bies, on the contrary, to, avoid this dif- 
 ficulty, have fanfied that every Tribe 
 did pay fifty Shekels, which makes up 
 the Turn of fix hundred Shekels, mention- 
 ed in the Book of Chronicles, But this 
 does not take away the difficulty, for 
 fix hundred fhekels offilver, would make 
 but the tw T elfch part of the value of fix 
 hundred [hekels of Gold ; beildes that its 
 exprefly remarked, that David would 
 pay that place and tho/e Oxen with his 
 own proper Money, to make amends in 
 fome meafure, for the fault which he a- 
 lone had committed, in numbring the 
 People. We muft therefore obferve, af- 
 ter fome learned Men, that the firft of 
 thofe pla^s is to be underftood of fhe- 
 kels of Gold, which were twelve times 
 the value of fhekels of fiher, which are 
 fpoken of in the fecond of thofe places. 
 That which gave cccafion to this contra- 
 diction in the Vcrfions, was, that the 
 Tranflatcrs did not confider that the He- 
 hrew words which they have tranflated 
 filver and weight, do alfo often fignifie 
 Money in General, and the Value of any 
 Piece ; as may eafily appear from the 
 places wherein they are employed, to 
 
 thofe 
 
[ *5 ] 
 
 thofe who have any tolerable knowledge 
 in that Language. We muft therefore 
 tranllate what is laid in the Book of Sa- 
 muel, that David bought the tbrefhing- 
 fioor and the Oxen for fifty fhekels of Gold, 
 or rather fince the Shekel of Gold was 
 twelve times the value of the fbekel of 
 Silver ', that he iouqbt the threfhing-floor 
 and* Oxen for five hundred and forty Jeven 
 pounds, and in the Book of Chronicles B 
 that he gave the value of fix hundred She- 
 kels of (liver in gold, {or that place, or ra- 
 ther, by reducing them to our Money, 
 that he gave in gold, the value of five hun- 
 dred and forty feven pounds, for that placet 
 which takes away all the contradiction, 
 and naturally exprefles the meaning of 
 both thofe facred Authors. 
 
 V. The feme method is hkewife to be 
 taken in tranflating the other Expreflions, 
 which the Scripture makes life of, to 
 exprefs greater and leflTer Sums. For ex- 
 ample, there is frequent mention made 
 of Talents, the weight and value of which 
 arc only known to the Learned, and the 
 People arc altogether ignorant of. There 
 is therefore no more rcaibn for fpeaking 
 of Talents in a Verfion defigned for the 
 People, than for keeping the Hebrew 
 
 word 
 
 
[ *«] 
 
 Word Chicchar, which they pretend to 
 exprefs by that of Talent. 
 
 Talents were of two forts ; one of fiver 
 and the other of Gold. In a Talent of Sil- 
 ver there were three thoufand Shekels of 
 Silver, as plainly appears from Exod. 3 8. 
 aj, z6. Now every Shekel being half 
 an ounce Averdupois, and there being 
 1 6 ounces in every pound Averdupois, the 
 three thoufand Shekels weigh ninety three 
 pound twelve ounces ; and then the value 
 of a fhekei in filver being two (hillings 
 three-pence farthing half farthing ; ihe Tar 
 lent after that rate amounts unto three 
 hundred forty two pounds three fbij&ngi 
 nine-pence; and in Gold it is fixteen times 
 as much, viz. Jive thoufand four hundred 
 aud feventy five pounds. This was the 
 value of the facred Talent ; but the com- 
 mon Talent in Silver amounted only to a 
 hundred Jeventy one pounds, one fhillwg and 
 ten-pence halfpenny, viz. the half of the 
 (acred Talent of Silver ; and the common 
 Talent in Gold to two thoufand feven hun- 
 dred and thirty feven pounds ten (hillings, 
 being the half of the facred Talent ix\ 
 Gold. 
 
 We muft therefore reduce the Talents 
 of Gold or Silver, facred on common, which 
 the Scripture fpeak of, according to this 
 
 Rule 
 
[*7 ) 
 Pviilc, and cxprcfs them by their weight 
 or value in an Engli/b Vorfion. For Ex- 
 ample, 7 he hundred Sacred Talents of Sil- 
 ver, which were given by thofe that 
 were numbered by Mofcs, Exod. 38. 25". 
 amount to Thirty four thoitjand two hun- 
 dred and eighteen founds fifteen JJ? Mings. 
 The ten Common Talents which Naaman 
 took with him for his Journey, 2 Kings 
 5. j. amounts to One thoujand j even hun- 
 dred and ten pounds eighteen jhil lings nine 
 pence, if they were fuch Talents as were 
 ufed by the Ifraelites, for if they were 
 only Talents of Syria, they made but the 
 fourth part of that Sum. The Twenty 
 nine Sacred Talents of Gold, mentioned 
 Exod. 38. 24. amount to Nine thoujknd 
 nine hundred twenty three pounds eight 
 {hillings and nine pence. The Thirty Com- 
 mon Talents of Gold, which the King of 
 Ajjyna appointed into Hezekia, 2 Kings 
 18. 14. come to Eighty two thoujaad one 
 hundred and twenty Jive pounds. But fc- 
 veral do rcjedt this diftindtion of Sacred 
 and Civil Shekels and Talents, and affirm 
 that all the Shekels and Talents mention- 
 ed in Scripture are of the fame weight 
 and value. 
 
 VI. Libertines cannot without mock- 
 ing, read what the Vcrfions toy of 
 
 rid. 
 
[ *8] 
 vid, That after he had taken Ralbah, he 
 took the Kings Crown from off his Heady 
 the weight whereof was a Talent of Gold, 
 with the Precious S tones , and it was jet on 
 David'j Head, zSam. 12. 30. and 1 Chron. 
 20. 1 . For this Crown muft have weigh- 
 ed Ninty three pounds twelve ounces at 
 leaft, and according to fome, a hundred 
 and twenty five pounds. Whence fome 
 Rabbies have imagined, that there was 
 a Loadftone which kept up the Crown 
 in the Air upon David's Head ; as if the 
 Loadftone did attract Gold as well as 
 Iron. Kimki thinks that neither David t 
 nor theKing ofRabbah,did bear it on their 
 Head, but that it was hung up after the 
 manner of a Pavilion : But fince the He* 
 brews did not want Words to exprefs 
 that, it is not probable that the Author of 
 thofe Books fhould fpeak fo improperly. 
 Others endeavour to folve the difficulty 
 by faying, that we mud not here under- 
 r \ ftand the Talent of the Hebrews, but that 
 of the Syrians \ which only weighed twelve 
 pounds. But they muft have proved this 
 otherwife, than by laying, that Rabbah 
 was in Syria ^ or at leaft it fhould be ex- 
 preft in a Verfion, and even a Crown of 
 this weight muft have been two heavy 
 Cor a King to have on his Head, though 
 
 we . 
 
[*9 ] 
 we fhould iiippoie with Kimki, that the 
 King of Rabbab, and David, did only life 
 it on Publick Solemnities. Why then 
 fhould we not conclude with icveral 
 Learned Men, that the Hebrew Word ( 4- ) 
 Miska/I, does not only denote th^weight 
 of a thing, but likewiic its value, and 
 that ib this Crown was not fo remarka- 
 ble for thequantity and weight of Gold, 
 as for the Precious Stones with which it 
 was adorned, which it is not common to 
 weigh, the value of which did amount 
 to a Talent of Gold, that is, Two tbo;<- 
 fandjeven hundred and thirty jeven Founds 
 ten Shillings, or to Five thouf and four 
 hundred feventy five Founds according to g 
 feme. We fhould therefore Tranflate, 
 that the value of the Crown made iiich 
 a Sum , with the Frecious Stones, as 
 our Tranflators have marked uppn the 
 Margin, and then the mod: prophanc 
 could find nothing to object againfb 
 it. 
 
 VIL Libertines alfo, cannot without 
 Laughter, read what the Verfions make 
 the Author of the Second Book of Sam- 
 uel fay, that when Ablblom polled hv> 
 Head y which he did, at every Tears end y 
 he weighed the Hair of bis Head at Two 
 hundred Shekel) ', after the Kings weighty 
 
 2 Sam. 
 
t 30] 
 2, Sam. 14.16. For fuppofe the Shekels 
 mentioned here be Sacred Shekels, his Hair 
 muft have weighed fix pound and a quarter 
 Averdupois, and fuppofe they {hould be 
 Common Sheckles, it muft have weighed 
 three pound and half a quarter , which 
 would have been Prodigious, and fo far 
 from contributing 10 make him the belt 
 favoured in all Ifrael, as the Scripture 
 obferves that on the contrary, it would 
 have made him ill favour d and unhand- 
 fome ; befides that its not credible than 
 a Head could produce fuch a vaft quan- 
 tity of Hair in one Year. This made 
 Mariana think that an Error might have 
 crept into the Original,by the negligence 
 ofTranfcribers, who might have written 
 a Resh, which fignifies two hundred, in 
 place of. zCaph, which only fignifies twen- 
 ty, thefe two Numeral Letters having 
 a confiderable refemWaace. Others 
 imagine that this Expreffion is a Hyper- 
 / \ bole, and fignifies that Abfolom had 
 very much Hair. But it is much more 
 natural to underftand thefe Words 
 of the value and price of his Hair, than 
 of the weight of it, as feveral Learned 
 Men have obferved, after fome Jewtjh 
 Dodtors, who aflure us, that his Hair 
 was fair, and that the Women of Jerufa- 
 
 lew* 
 
[ it } 
 
 km bought it to adorn their Heads with- 
 al. The ftrongeft Objc&ion that Wafe- 
 rus makes againft this Explication is,that 
 it is not to be prefumed, that Ahjolom y 
 who was the Son of a King, and very 
 Prodigal, would have made profit of 
 ilich a fmali tning : But TtrinUs anfvvers 
 to this, that there is often none more 
 mean in certain rei pedis, than the moft 
 Prodigal, and that we muft not judge of 
 the Riches of the Princes of that time 
 by the Riches of our prcfent Princes. 
 Nor is it (aid, that Abjolom weighed or 
 fold his Hair himfelf, but only that it 
 was weighed or iold. It feems then the 
 Words ihould be Tranflated, That the 
 Hair of his Head was fold at Twenty two 
 pounds fixteen flii/lings and three pence , or 
 half that fum according to others. 
 
 VIII. The Scripture fpeaks offeveral 
 other forts of Mony, which wc muft 
 nccclTarily reduce to their value in aVer- 
 fion defigned for the People. Our Tran- 
 flators render the Helrew Word ManeL\ 
 and the Greek Word M*a 9 \fh\c\\ anfwers 
 to it, by the Enghjh Word Found ^ i Kings 
 io. 17. Ezr*. z. 69. Lv.ke 19, 13. But 
 they might as well have left them un- 
 tranflated, as they have done the firft, 
 Ezek. 4£. ix, For they fignifie no fuch 
 
 thing 
 
I 3*1 
 
 thing as we underftand by Found in our 
 Language. The Maneh weighed one 
 pound nine ounces, which made a hundred 
 Common Shekles, and Five pounds ten 
 fiillings three pence in Englifh Money, 
 when it was of Silver; when it was of 
 Gold, it made Ninty one pounds five (hil- 
 lings y as may be feen by comparing 
 i Kings io. 17, with xChrm. 9. 16. 
 where the 'three Manehs of Gold, which 
 the Hiftory of the Kings fpeaks of, are 
 explained by Three hundred Shekles of 
 Gold. Therefore the Fi&e thoufand Ma- 
 nehs of Silver, which the Israelites gave 
 for repairing the Temple fhould be ren- 
 dred, Fifteen thoufand pound, Eza. 6. 9. 
 And the three Manehs of Gold which went to 
 one Shield, 1 Kings 10. 17. fhould be 
 rendred Five hundred and forty feven 
 pounds ten flu 'Sings. We find Ezek.^. 12. 
 That fix ty Shekels made a Maneh, and to 
 reconcile this with what is faid before, 
 fbme alledge that in mere weight, with- 
 out refpecl: to Coynage, a Maneh con- 
 tained a hundred Shekels, but that in 
 Qpyn it contain'd but fixty Shekels : But 
 others think that Ezekiel fpeaks of a 
 Maneh which was of a latter date, and 
 differ'd both in Weight and Coyn from the 
 Ancient Maneh, 
 
 IX. The 
 
t 33 J 
 
 IX. The Vulgar Latin, and \beGcne* 
 va Vtrfion t expr^fs by that of a Far- 
 tbi*g % a fmall peice of Money which Mo- 
 Jes and Ezckiel fpeak of, called in He- 
 brewGerah, which our Verfion has left 
 untranflated • but all the Jew/fi Dodtors ( 6 ) 
 obferve that this peice weighed about 
 ieventeen Barley Corns, and it is evi- 
 dent that twenty of them made a Sacred 
 Shekel^ as may be feen in feveral places 
 of Scripture. From whence it clearly (.7) 
 appears that a Gerah makes five Farthings 
 and a fourth part of a Farthing in Enf* 
 lifh Money. 
 
 X. Our Tranflation, as alio the other 
 two now mentioned exprefs by apiece 
 of Money, a fort of Coyn, which in He- 
 brew is called Agorah 7 t Sam. z. 36. and 
 which was of the lame value with the 
 former, according to the Jtwijh Doctors, 
 and likewife of the fame weight. 
 
 Xf . Mofes and Jofhua likewife feem to 
 ipeak of a fort of Money of the t^me 
 weight and value, which they call in 
 Hebrew Kefchita, Qen. 33. 19. Jojhua 
 24. 31. Job 42. 11. and which the vul- 
 gar Latin Tranflates a Lamb, which our 
 Translators have followed in the Margi- 
 nal Note, tho' they have rendred peices 
 of $ilver t in the body of the Text, after 
 D d the 
 
 (8) 
 
I 34l 
 the Geneva Verfion. But whatever the 
 Rabbies, and fome Chriftian Doctors, 
 may fay, this Word does truly fignifie 
 a Lamb in thofe places; it being no 
 ways probable that Abraham and Jacob 
 pay'd no more than Ten Shi/lings for the 
 Children of Hamors Feild; nor that 
 Job's Friends fliould have Complemented 
 him every one With a peice of five Far- 
 things, 
 (9.) XII. Another fort of Money menti- 
 oned in the Old Tefiament, is called in 
 Hebrew Adarcon and Darcmon^ which the 
 Vulgar Latin, the Geneva Verfion , and 
 Ours render a Dram. But this is a 
 manifeft Error ; for it was certainly a 
 peice of Gold, which was in ufe among 
 the Ifraelites, both before and after the 
 Captivity of Babilon • as may be feen 
 1 Chron. 29. 7. and Ezra 2. 69. and 
 8. 27. and which was in value about 
 Twenty two Shillings. ' 
 
 XIII. Nor have Tranflators been more 
 exad: or clear in expreffing the Coyns 
 in the New Tejlament. St. Matthew fpeaks 
 of a peice of Money called in Greek De- 
 narion y which our Verfions render a Pen- 
 ny, but fince this Word in our Language 
 fignifies only the twelfth part of a Slid- 
 ing , but fignified among the Romars a 
 
 piece 
 
[ 15 1 
 
 piece of Silver anfworing to [even pence 
 half peny Englifh Ato^, we mull: nccefla- 
 nly Tranflacc it lb, and fay, But tie 
 faint Servant went out ana found one of his 
 i 'Jfow Servants which owed him three 
 pounds two (billings and px pcn r e, Match. 
 8. 28. And when he had agreed with the 
 1 atourcrs for J even pence half penny a day, 
 he fent the n to bis I 7a >e\ard, Match, 20. z. 
 And they Irouojt himfeven pence half pen- 
 ;/y, and he faith unto them, who/e is this 
 Imaze and S'tperfcription > Match. 22, 19, 
 20, QSfr, 
 
 XIV. We likewife find in the New 
 Tejiament a Coyn called in Greek Afjaron, 
 which our Tranflacion renders aFarthing, 
 Matth. 10. 29. Luke 12 6. But if this 
 Greek Word be Originally 1 ativ, as Be- 
 za pretends, the piece anfwers to our 
 half penny, or at lead to a farthing and 
 a half; and if we understand it of a 
 piece of Money of the lame Name, 
 which was uicd in Syria, as is very pro- 
 bable, and which was of Silver, and 
 weighed four Barley Corns, it was equal (10) 
 to our Penny. 
 
 Another lbrt of Coyn is called in 
 
 Greek Kodrans, rendred a Farthing by 
 
 our Tranflators, Matth. 5. 26. and it 
 
 was in value the half of the Affaron^ 
 
 D d 2 and 
 
[3<H 
 aricTaccording to moft, anfwers to three 
 quarters of a Farthing. 
 
 Another piece of Money is by our 
 Tranflators rendred a Mite, Mark 12.42. 
 and Luke 21. 2. But this Word is as 
 much unknown to Englijh-men as the 
 Greek Word Leptes* It was in value half 
 the Kodrans. 
 
 The Stater rendred a piece of Mo- 
 ney, Mattk 17. 27. was equal to a She- 
 kel, or to two Shillings three pence far- 
 thing half farthing, as may be feen by 
 the Twenty fourth Vcrfe, where Peter 
 gives this peice to pay the Tribute for 
 Jejus Chrifl and himfelf. 
 
 Another fort of Money fpoke of in 
 the Gofpel is the Drachma, which was 
 the proper Money of the Athenians, as 
 the Denarius was that of the Romans ; 
 and thole two Coyns were of the fame 
 weight, and of the fame value. The 
 Drachma makes feven pence half penny 
 in Engli/h Money ; and therefore we 
 fhould Tranflate Luke 15.8,9. thus; 
 Either what Woman having ten peices of 
 the value of feven pence half penny a peice, 
 if /he lofe one piece doth not light a Can- 
 dle, and fweep the Houfe, and fee k diligent- 
 ly till /he find it. And the Greek word 
 Di drachma, Matt, 17. 24. which we 
 
 render 
 
f 37 ] 
 render Tribute Money, fignifics a piece of 
 Money fifteen pence in value. 
 
 XV. Nor have Tranflacors been more 
 exa<ft in rendring the names of Meajures, 
 retaining the Hebrew words Homer, E- 
 pha, Chomer, Cab, Cor, Log, Hin,Bath, 
 and Chenix, which are all barbarous and 
 unintelligible to mod Readers. 
 
 We mud obferve in general, that the ("•) 
 Jews did give names to their Meafures, / \ 
 proportionally to a certain number of 
 Eggs which they could contain. Their 
 greateft Meafure, both for dry and li- 
 quid Things, was called a Cor or Chorner, 
 mentioned in leveral places of Scripture, 
 did contain four thou/and three hundred 
 and twenty Eggs, and is fuppofed to an- 
 fwer to eight Bufhels and almoft an half, 
 Winchester Meafure ; and to feventy jive 
 Wine Gallons, five pints, an da little more. 
 
 The next Meafure to this was called 
 Lethech, which the Geneva Verfion and 
 ours render half an Omer, Holea 3. 2. ic 
 contain two thoufand one hundred and 
 fixty Eggs, that is, the half of the CV., 
 or in Englifh Meafure four Bufhels and 
 an half. 
 
 Their third greateft Meafure was cal- (13.) 
 led Epha, which is mentioned in feveral 
 places of Scripture : It contained four 
 Dd 3 hundred 
 
(•jO 
 
 [ 38 1 
 
 hundred and thirty^two Eggs, and in £«g- 
 //,# Meafure comes to three pecks, three 
 pints, and fomcwhat more. 
 
 Their nexc meafure to this was called 
 Seah y which the Geneva Verfion, and 
 curs, render only a Meafure, Gen. 18. 
 6. and 2 King 7. 1. 18. it contained a 
 hundred and forty jour Eggs, according to 
 (HO the Jewifi Doctors, and is fuppofed to 
 have held a peck and a pint of Engjifb 
 Meafure. 
 
 Their fifth greatefl Meafure was called a 
 Homer, or Umer, which the Geneva Ver- 
 fion and ours fometime confound with 
 the Meafure called Chomer, and the Vul- 
 gar Latin with the Cor ;iz is mentioned 
 in feveral places of Scripture, contained 
 forty three Eggs, and in Englifo Meafure 
 five pints and a little more. 
 
 Their lead Meafure for dry things , 
 was called a Cab, mentioned only z Kings 
 6. 25. which held twenty four Eggs, or 
 in Ewrjifh Meafure timo^ three pints. 
 
 XVI. Their greatcft Meafure for Li- 
 quids next to the Cor was called a Bath, 
 which is fuppofed to have held five* 
 Gallons five quarts and a half pint >, it con- 
 tained four hundred and thirty two Eggs, of 
 the fame largeneis with their Epha t 
 Ezck, 4 j. 11. 
 
 Their 
 
f 39 ] 
 
 Then ///«, mentioned in the places 
 referred to on the Margin, did contain 
 fevonty two Eggs^ or one Gallon and a 
 quart. 
 
 Their lead meafure for liquid Things, 
 was called Log. Lev, 14. 10. 
 
 XVII. The Cubit too fhouldbe ren- 
 dred according to its true value in En- 
 glijb Meafure, which is iuppofed to be 
 twenty two Inches wanting only a tenth 
 part. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. II. 
 
 (1.) See Exod. 30. 13. 24 & 38. 24, 
 
 xj, 26. Levit. 5*. 1 j. & 27. 3. 35*. 
 
 Numb. 3.47. 50. & 7. 13. & 18. 16. 
 (z.) Vilalfand^ in Ezek. Bocbart, Hieroz. 
 
 T. 1. L. 2. c. 38. 
 (3.) See Bunting de Monetis, p. 7. 8. 
 
 Dub.Vex.S. Cent, 11. /. 8. 7. 
 (4.) 6'<w/#. **/ x Sam. 12. 30. Bocbart. 
 
 Hieroz. P. i.T. i.L. 2. C 38. Cbr. 
 
 Noldius Concord, p. 1042. Beck ins ad 
 
 Targum. 1 Cbr oh. p. 208. and fomc 
 
 Jewifh Dodtors. 
 (j.) As Sj»#. Salazar & Emanuel Saa s 
 
 and fomc jteu;//ft Doctors, 
 (6.) A'j^/ Levi Ben Gerjon ad Exod. 50, 
 
 M- 
 
 D d 4 Set 
 
U° J 
 
 (y.) See Exod. 30. 13- Lev. 27. xj. 
 
 Numb. 3. 47. & 8. 16. Ezekiel 14. 
 
 Ii. 
 (8.) K'imkiy larks, R- Ifaias^ Selomo Be* 
 
 Melech, Michlol Jophs Paraph. Chald. 
 (p.) See I Chron. 29. 7. £2™ 2. 69. S? 
 
 8. 27. 
 
 (10J /?. Nathan. Maimonides, Hilcoth 
 
 Sechal. Buxtorf. Lex. Talm.p. 175,176. 
 (11.) R. Nathan. R. Alfhe apud Buxtorph. 
 
 R. Kimki. 
 (12.) Ezek. 45. 14. 1 Kings 5. 11. 1 
 
 Kings 4, 22. 2 Chron. 2. 10. © 27. 5. 
 
 £ar# 7. 22. 
 (13.) Lru. $.%*.&%%. 5. Judg.6.19. 
 
 I Stftf7. I. 24. /to/7 2. 17. I StfW. 17. 
 17. £2^.45. 13. 
 
 (14.) R. Kimki 9 Bahal Aroch, R. Solomon 
 
 ad Lev. 14. Buxt. Lex. Heb. 
 (15.) Exod. 16. 16. 30. £e>i>. 23. 10. 
 
 Efay 5.10. Hof.^z. Ezek. 45. n. 14. 
 (16.) £aW. 29. 40. 6? 3 c 24. Lev. 
 
 19. 36. Numb. 28. 14. 
 
 CHAP. Ill, 
 
[4i 1 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 That the Verfions d$ confound almfl all 
 the Animals that the Scripture Jpeakj 
 of, or transform them into other 
 Things^ and fometimes ether things 
 into them. 
 
 THere is no occafion on which 
 Tranflators have been more mi- 
 ftaken, than in exprefling the Animals 
 which the Scripture fpeaks of; often con- 
 founding together thofe who are of a quite 
 oppofite kind, and making a Hind of a 
 Tree; Midwives, or lively Women, of wild 
 Beajh; a Bird of a Serpent, and a Ser- 
 pent of a fpark of Fire ; a painted Bird 
 of a real Bird, Locufls of Leaves or Fruits, 
 Mules or hot Waters of a People, a Spider 
 of a Lizard, Ralbets of Rats., &c. 
 
 I. They make Jacob Prophecying c£ 
 the Tribe of Napbtali, fay, Napbthali is a 
 Hind let loofe, he pivetb goodly words* 
 Gen. 49 xi. And Interpreters pretend 
 that this Predi&ion relates to Barak, who 
 was of chat Tribe, who had not the cou- 
 rage 
 
[ v 3 
 
 sage tp oppofe the Army of Sifera, with- 
 out the aififtance of Deborah, tho' Debo- 
 rah allured him, that God had com- 
 manded him to do it, and promifed him 
 happy fuccels; but yet gave goodly words 
 in the Song which he fung after ob- 
 taining the Victory, Judges £. i, x, 3, 
 &c. But how could it follow from what 
 Barak could have done, that this Pro- 
 phefie, which regarded the whole Tribe 
 of Naphthali; could be accompliihed in his 
 Perfon, efpecially fince it was not he that 
 compofed this Song, but the Vrophetejs 
 Deborah, who was of the Tribe of Epha- 
 rlm > Nor do we find it any where re- 
 corded, that Naphthali, or his Pofterity, 
 have been more eloquent than the other 
 Tribes, nor that there was ever any 
 School or famous City, or any Prophet 
 of that Tribe ; not to mention, that the 
 Galileans , whofe Country made a part 
 of that ohhe Naphthalites, and who might 
 have been of the fame Tribe, were fo 
 downifh and unpolifhed in their Langu- 
 age, that thole of 'ferujalem could not 
 endure their Gibber tjh. The.ChaMee Pa- 
 
 ? Abct* r 4p$ r #f e * anc ' t h at °f ^rufalem, and the 
 
 c 39. Rallies, have mentioned other Fables to 
 
 juftifie this.Verfion, which fuppofe that 
 
 t hofe of theTribe of Naphthali were quick 
 
 id 
 
[ 43 ] 
 
 in bringing of good News. But fincc 
 neither Mojes, nor any of the Prophets 
 have fpoke of this, it falls of it fclf; 
 which obliged the learned Bockhart to 
 tranflace the words of the Original thus ; 
 Naphthali or the Naphthalites fball he like 
 a Tree having graft s jvhich Jhoot out pleaf ant 
 Branches. Jacob compares this Tribe to 
 a Tree, as he does that of Jofeph, in the 
 verfe following ; and as good Men are 
 often compared to fine Trees, PfaL i. 
 ;. and 92. 1.2. either becaufe of its fruit- 
 fulnefs, Naphtha// having brought but" 
 four Children to Egypt , Gen. 41. 24. 
 which produced more than fifty Thoufand, X T'}^' 
 in lefs than 215 years, Numb. 1. 41, ^z.bci'hjud. 
 or upon the account of the fruitfulnefs of/. 3. c - x « 
 the Country which fell to their Iot,which 
 Mnfes and Jofepbus reprefent as the rich- 
 eft of all Judea. And it is thus that the 
 Sept*agi*€ % the Chaldee Faraphrafe, and 
 the Arabic* Verfion, which Bochart con- 
 futed in Sweden, do tranflatc the words 
 without following the pointing of the 
 AfaforetSy which has often corrupted the 
 meaning of the Text, and has given oc- 
 cafion to modern Interpreters, to tran* 
 (late this Verfe after a manner which 
 makes the fecond part of this Oracle to 
 have no relation to the firft, and lb ppofes 
 
 that 
 
l44l 
 that Hinds were let loofe after they 
 were taken, contrary to the cuftom of 
 Hunters. 
 
 II. All Tranflators have like wife been 
 manifeftly miftaken, in rendring the He- 
 brew word Chirjonim or Dibionim, by 
 that of Doves Dung, z Kings 6. 25. and 
 Interpreters have invented feveral ridi- 
 culous Conjectures, to explain how the 
 Famine could have been fo great in Sa- 
 maria, when Benhadad befieged it, that 
 the Inhabitants thereof fliould be reduced 
 to fuch extremity, as to be obliged to 
 buy a meafure of thole Excrements , 
 which held but fix Eggs, at eleven Shil- 
 lings and five-pence. Some think that 
 they were forced to make ufe of it for 
 Food, tho' there be not the leaft nou- 
 rifhment in Doves Dung ; others ima- 
 gined the Samaritans made ufe of it for 
 Fire, not being able to go without the 
 Town for Wood. But who can imagine 
 that there could have been enough of 
 this matter for that purpofe, in Samaria, 
 finceby all appearance it did not contain 
 many Dove-Houfes, it being the place of 
 refidence for their Kings? Who would not 
 think that they fliould have rather choft 
 to have been without Fire, than to make 
 Fire of a thing which fmelled fo very 
 
 " ill 
 
ill, and cod ib dear ; bcfidcs what rela- 
 tion could iiich a great icarcity of Wood, 
 that obliged the Samaritans to burn 
 Doves Dun^ at a dear rate, have with a 
 great Famine ? There be others who ( 4 * ' 
 are of opinion that it ferved them only 
 to dung and fatten the Fields and Gar- 
 dens of Samaria^ to provide againd a 
 Famine the year following. But how 
 can it be thought that there couldbe many 
 Fields within that City, or that thole 
 who had fomc Grain remaining to live 
 by, could think of fowing it in fuch a 
 great icarcity, or, in fine, that they could 
 have bought this fort of Dung lb dear, 
 when they had enough of other Dung 
 that would have cod them nothing. 
 Some think that it ferved them for Salt ; 
 but if they mud have owed their Salt 
 to Excrements , why might not have 
 they extracted it from Urine , which 
 would have furnifhed them with greater 
 quantity and at lets charge ? Bcfides that, 
 it is not very poflible that they could 
 have been very much concerned for Salt 
 in fuch a great Famine, fince it ferves 
 rather to give a rclifh to what we eat, 
 than to nourifli us. The Tahmdijh have 
 fancy'd to have avoided all theft Diffi- 
 culties, by tranflating the term of the 
 
 Origin*! 
 
Original by Crop of Doves , and have af- 
 firmed, that they kept many Doves in 
 Samaria, to bring them Provifions from 
 the Country, by difgorging the Grain 
 which they had pick'd up, which their 
 Matters fold at a dear rate. But it is 
 iufficient to name the Talmud, to refute 
 the Fables which it relates for explain- 
 ing the Scripture. Who can imagine 
 that fuch a great number of Doves, as 
 was neceflary for fuch a purpofe, could 
 have been luffer'd to live in a City fo 
 much pinch'd with Famine ; or that 
 the Doves could have been fo docile and 
 well inftru&ed, as to bring back to their 
 Matters what they had rang'd for ; or 
 that indeed they could have found much 
 Nourishment in the Country, which was 
 covered over with the Enemy, who had 
 altogether forrag'd it, and laid it waft ? 
 Not to mention that the w 7 ord in the 
 Original cannot admit of this fignifica 
 MlfceL r ^ on - Junius and Fuller think they have I f ai 
 L 6. a. found a remedy for all thofe inconveni- 
 encies, by tranflating the Hebrew word 
 by that of the Belly orlntrals of Doves ; 
 but their Proofs are fo folidly Refuted 
 by Bochart, that every reafonable Perfon 
 
 T V f" i mu ^ ^ e °^ * lis minc *- f e °bferves, that 
 
 c/7. ' the Arabians give the name of Doves 
 
 Dung, 
 
 t 
 
 G 
 
 to 
 h 
 tii 
 
 i 
 
 a 
 
 IT. 
 
 P 
 
 P 
 
 vi 
 
[ 47 "J 
 Dung, or SpUrrotos D##£, to two fcveral 
 things : the firll of which is a kind of 
 Mojs that grows on Trees or ftony 
 Ground,which rcfcmblcs a kind of Peafe, 
 to which thofc of R acea upon the River 
 Euphrates, give this name, and which o- 
 thcrs call Kuskendem or Giauzgendem 9 
 which has the quality of cooling and 
 drying, which they tranfport from War- 
 ca and Corafeena y and of which with a 
 mixture of Honey they make a kind of 
 Wine. They alfo give the name of Doves 
 Dung, or Sparrow's Dwi& to a kind of 
 Pulfe or Peafe, which was common in 
 Judea, as may be feen, z Sam, 17. 18. 
 where the Gileadites and Amonites, in the 
 prefent which they brought to David, 
 had parched Fu/Je, as St- Jerom has very 
 well rendred it ; whence the famous Ci- 
 ty of Emefus, on the Frontiers of Judea 9 
 which hadksown particular Kings, feems 
 to have taken its name. Travelers do 
 farther obfervc, that their are Shops or 
 Magazines in Grand Cairo, and at Da- 
 majciu, where they constantly fry this 
 kind of Pulfe; of which thole who go 
 in Pilgrimage to Mecca make provifion 
 for their Journey. We fhould therefore 
 tranflate this verfe thus : And behold they 
 ie/ieged it, until an Ajjes head was fold 
 
 for 
 
[ 4 8] 
 for nine pounds two {killings and fix pence, 
 and three quarters of a pint of Pulfefor 
 eleven {killings and five pence* 
 
 III. The Vulgar Latin, Gen. 36. 24. 
 fays, This was that Anah that found the 
 hot Waters in the Wildernefs, as if Mojes 
 would have faid that Anah found or dif- 
 cover'd Phyfical Waters, taking one He~ 
 brew Word for another Word, which in- 
 deed fometimes fignifies Waters, but ne- 
 ver fignifies their being hot or Medici- 
 nal. Nor have our Tranflators fucceed- 
 ed better in rendering thefe Words, This 
 was that Anah that found the Mules in the 
 Wildernefs. By which they underftand 
 that Hanah was the firft that invented 
 the production of Mules, by putting 
 Horfes and Afles together. But 1. the 
 Words in the Original never .fignifies 
 Mules, but they are always exprefled 
 by a Word which has no refemblance 
 with this. 2. The weakneis of the Rea- 
 fons which are given for the Hebrew 
 Word, fignifying Mules, are enough to 
 refute it ; as that it is faid, that Anah 
 found the Jemim in the Wildernefs, as 
 he fed the Affes of his Father Zibeon ; 
 as if the word found did fignifie to invent 
 or difcover ibme new thing, and as if ic 
 was natural to think, that Hanah in feed- 
 ing 
 
( 49 ) 
 mg Ailcs had invented the way ofjoyn- 
 ing them with Creatures of another kind. 
 13n c i. though the Latin Verb which fig- 
 nitestofind, islomctimcs taken in this 
 fence, yet the //drew Verb which an- 
 fwers to it, is never fo taken : It is found ( ^ ) 
 more then four hundred times in the 
 Bible, and always fignifies to find a thing 
 which exifls already, or to encounter 
 with a Perfon as an Enemy, for example; 
 as when it is laid of the Tribes of Judab 
 and Simeon, that they found or encounter d 
 with Adoni Bcfcck, at Befek, and that 
 they fought againji him, Judges i. y. And 
 ofSW, that the Archers jound him, as 
 our Marginal Note hath it, and that he 
 was fore wounded, i Sam. 31. 3. And of 
 the Prophet who went from Judah to 
 Bethlem, that a Lyon found or met him in 
 the way and few him, 1 Kings 13.14. 
 2. It docs not follow that every thing 
 that happens in feeding of Afles fliould 
 relate to thoieAnimals,or their Produdti* 
 on : Befidcs that there is no mention 
 made hereof Hories or Mares, or Bulls, 
 or Cows, nor of wild He or She Afles, 
 widiout lbmc or other of which Mules 
 cannot be produced. 3. Nor is it at all 
 probable that the way of engendering 
 Mules was (o ioon known in the Land 
 E e of 
 
[ 50 ] 
 oiEdom, where Hanah lived, fin.ee we 
 read nothing of thofe Animals rill Da- 
 vid's tirne,more thanfeven hundred Years 
 after. The Scripture ipesking of Job, 
 Abraham, Jfaac, Jacob, Achan, the Acha- 
 nites, the Egyptians, the Midianites, the 
 Inhabitants of Jericho, the Ifraelites, and 
 the Ama.ekit: nations their having 
 
 (3-) Camels, Horfes, AfTes, Cows and Oxen, 
 Sheep and Goats, but lays nothing of 
 Mules ; whereas there is frequent men- 
 tion of them in the days of David, 
 wherein alfo they made up a confidera- 
 
 v 4* / ble part of the Equipage of Princes. It 
 is therefore much more likely that the 
 Samaritan Verfion has hit upon the true 
 fenfe of the Original, rendering it by 
 that of Emeans, which were Neighbours 
 to the Horitts, Gen. 14. 5*. and like wife 
 the Chaldee Paraphrafe rendering it by 
 a word which it always makes ufe of 
 to fignifie Giants, becaufe the Emeans, or 
 the Emines were as tall as the Anakims, 
 and pafled for Giants as well as they, as 
 
 ( 5< ) Mofes obierves, Deut. x. 10. It feems alfo 
 that the Septuagint and fome others have 
 defigned to exprefs the fame thing by 
 the word which they make ule of: How- 
 ever this Verfion is not expofed to the 
 difficulties, which the other Tranflations 
 
 labour 
 
t s* ) 
 
 labour under, and ii is a much rrorL* 
 remarkable Circumftance , and much 
 more proper co give a character of di- 
 flin&ion to Hanah , time he men and 
 fought with fucfa formidable People as 
 the Emeans were, who perhaps lay in 
 Ambuih for him in the Wilder nefs, than 
 to obferve tlut he had found b*t 
 Waters , which any body ellc might 
 have cafily difcovercd, or that he nad 
 invented tlie Production of Muits % winch 
 fhould be rather looked upon as an ef- 
 fect of Chance, than of Arc or Reaibn. 
 This has obliged fome of xhejewijbfab* 
 bics to abandon the opinion of a great 
 many of their Doctors, whoafenbe the 
 invention of Mules to f/jna/.\and to fol- 
 low the ChaUee Parapralc ; and all that 
 has been brought againft the Proofs of 
 F. Simon and Bocbart for the other Verfi* 
 on is fo weak, that we may reasonably 
 fufpedt that there is more of jealoufie 
 and ill humour than of zeal for the 
 Truth in the Perlbns that oppolc them. 
 To conclude, it is an Exprcflion which 
 is fcarcely ufed in Enflijb to make thefe 
 words found Mules to fignifie to invent 
 the manner of producing them. So that 
 inftead of transforming Men into hotWa- 
 ters, or into Mules y we fhould render the 
 E e % Words 
 
Words thus, That was that Anah who 
 encountred with the Emims in the Wilder- 
 nefs. 
 
 IV. The Vulgar Latin has transform'd 
 Be aft s into Midwives, after the Chaldee 
 Paraphraf ; and the Verfions of Geneva 
 and Zurkk, as likewife Ours into ftrong 
 and lively Women, Excd. i. 19. For the 
 Hebrew word Chajoth, which is in the 
 Orginal, fignifies a Beaft, and even a 
 Wild Beafl, as has been obferved by 
 s y\ Learned Men, and may be ken in fcve- 
 ral places of Scripture. The Egyptian 
 Midwives being accufed by pharoah of 
 favouring the Hebrew Women, and pre- 
 ferring the Male Children , allege in 
 their own defence, that the Hebrew Wo- 
 men were of fiich a brutifh Conftitution 
 that they were delivered without the 
 help of Midwives,like the Beafts. So that 
 the words ihould be rendred thus, And 
 the Midwives faid unto Pharaoh, becauje 
 the Hebrew Women are not as the Egypti- 
 an Women, for they are like wild Beafts, 
 and they are delivered ere Midwives come 
 into them. 
 
 V. Our Tranflation has likewife 
 transformed the Hyena which is a kind 
 of moft Ravenous Wolf in Arabia, Sy- 
 ria, and in Africa, into a fpeckled Bird, 
 
 and 
 
[ f3 1 
 
 and ravenous Beafts into Birds, Jer. i 2.9. 
 without confidcring that this Vcrfc f© 
 Tranflated could have little or no relati- 
 on with what goes before or after ; for 
 what conformity could there be between 
 a Speckled Bird and Savage Beafts, and 
 Lyons, and Savage Beafts, whether we 
 underftand the words with fome of a 
 painted Bird, or with St. Jerom of a Pea- 
 cocky or of a Scnech Owl with others ? 
 Wemuft therefore obfervc with Bochart, 
 that that which gave occafion to this 
 miftake was , that the Hebrew word 
 which our Tranflators render Birds, fig- 
 nifies both Birds of Prey, and Beajls of 
 Prey, and that that which they render 
 a fpeckled Bird , fignifies any thing 
 that is of divers Colours ; whence the 
 Hebrews did call the Serpent Cenchns, / g ^ 
 by the fame name upon the account of 
 his many Spots. "Tis alfo for the fame 
 reafon that they gave that name to the 
 Hyena, bceaufe of his divers Spots, the 
 variety of the coulours and motion of 
 his Eyes, and likewifc the diverfity of 
 hisAdhons ; and the Rabbics do ftill call 
 Hypocrites by this Name, to cxprefs 
 their Inconftancy and Cruelty upon the 
 very fame account. Since therefore God 
 manifeftly reproaches the Jews in this 
 E e 3 place 
 
[*4l 
 
 place for having caft off all reafonable 
 and honed Inclinations, and having be- 
 come like the mod cruel and ravenous 
 Beafts it had been much more natural for 
 our Translators to have followed the Sep- 
 tuagintjlmn the Vulgar Lai i#,and to have 
 rendered the Words thus, Mine Heritage 
 is unto me as the ravenous Hyena. The ra- 
 venous Beafts are round about it. This 
 yields a proper fence agreeable to the 
 Prophets defigr,whcreas that of a fpeck- 
 led Bird gives us but a falfe and ridicu- 
 lous Idea. 
 
 VI. All the verfions do fay, that the 
 Horfe-leech hath two Daughters, crying 
 give, give, Prov. 30. 15. and Interpre- 
 ters are puzzled what ro make of this 
 Expreilion, and cannot conceive how 
 Solomon comes to bring in that Infed: 
 upon this occafion, if the words are to 
 be taken Literally : For it is not true that 
 the HorfeJeeches have any young ones, 
 becaufe as Naturaliits obferve they don't 
 Engender, but are produced out of cor- 
 rupted Earth by the heat of the Sun. 
 Mercer refers this to the Horfe-leech's 
 Tongue, and cites the Authority of F/i- 
 ny for the Horfe-teech's Tongue being 
 forked ; but befid^s that this is not to 
 be found in Flinj, it if iikewifc nothing 
 
 to 
 
c 
 
 : 
 
 (6 [i g 
 
 indeed fignihco a , 
 the other properly figiuncs 
 we call Dejliny , or the neuj 
 dying , to which the Ancient Rau 
 gave two Daughters, Eden, or Paradicc, 
 and Gehenna^ or Hell. The firft of which 
 always calls for the Good, and the fe- 
 cond for the Wicked. He thinks then 
 that this Text fhoiJd be Tranflated, De- 
 jliny has two Daughters which always cry 
 give, give. 
 
 VII. The Vulgar Latin is certainly 
 miftaken in rendering the Hebrew word 
 Saphan fometimes a Porcupin, and fome- 
 times a Hedge-hog: Nor is our Tran- 
 slation more exad: in rendering it always 
 a Ralbet. For this Animal is reprefen- 
 ted as going in Troops, and as chewing 
 the Cud, and lodging in the Rocks, (90 
 which neither agrees with the Porcupin 
 nor Hedge-hog, which live feperately, 
 do not chew Food, and abide commonly 
 in Meadows and Gardens, or in the 
 root of hollow Trees. The fame rea- 
 ibns don't allow that it fliould beTran- 
 Ef i flared 
 
[ 56] 
 flated a Rabbet ; for feveral are of Opini- 
 on, that it likevvife does not chew the 
 Cud, and it is certain that it does not 
 make its holes in the Rocks: Befides 
 that Rabbets were very rare in Judea, 
 and that fo it was not necefTary for Mojes 
 to forbid to eac of them. It feems 
 therefore that we ought to embrace the 
 Conje&ure of Bochart who obferves, 
 that Arabia and Paleflin did abound with 
 a kind of Animal which may not impro- 
 perly be called a Rock-rat, and which the 
 Arabians do call Aliarbuo, which they 
 commonly eat. They are no bigger than 
 a Squirrel, and have all their Feet like 
 unto it,refembling a Rabbet in their Head, 
 Eyes and Tail, being cloven Footed, and 
 chewing the Cud, marching in Troops, 
 and very fearful and weak, which makes 
 them retire to the Rocks : All which 
 are properties which the Scripture at- 
 tributes to the Animal which it calls 
 Saphan, which confequently ihould be 
 Tranflated a Rock-rat. 
 
 IX. If the Verfions have coufounded 
 the Animals that are upon the Earth, 
 they have not been more exad: infpeak- 
 ing of thofe which Aftronomers have 
 placed among the Stars. There is per- 
 haps no Riddle more obfeure than what 
 
 they 
 
f 57 ) 
 they make Job to fay in fpcaking of the 
 Stars of the South and North Poles, The 
 VulgarLatin and ourTranflators deicrib- 
 ing the Grcatncfs and Majefty of God, 
 fay, that be bad made Artlurus, Orion, and 
 the Pleiades t and the Chambers of the 
 South ; and the Geneva Verfion, that 
 he hath made the Chariot and Orion, and 
 the Pleiades, and the fecreat places of the 
 South. But the word Aais, which is the 
 fame with Aas % which the Vulgar Latin 
 calls Arllurus here, it tranflates elie- 
 where the Night-fiar ; and the Verfion 
 of Geneva, which calls it the Chariot 
 here calls it Artlums ; and the Hebrew 
 word Chejil, which the Vulgar Latin 
 tranflates Orion here, it calls Artlurus, 
 Job 38. 32. Though no reafon can be 
 given why they ihould not have been 
 Tranflatcd after the fame way in both 
 places. AH Interpreters agree, that the 
 Hebrew word Chima fignifies the Pleia- 
 des^ or the Seven Stars, which make up 
 the Breajl of the Celejtial Si^n Taurus ; 
 but they arc at variance as to the true fig- 
 nification of the word Aat,and the word 
 Chejil. But Abenezra obferves, that all 
 the Anticnt Jewi/b Doctors taught, that 
 the word Chejil fignifies that Scar of the 
 Second Magnitude, which the Aftrono- 
 
 mers 
 
[ J? J 
 mers call the Heart of Scorpio, and 
 the Arabians Ant ares ; and that Chima 
 or the Pleiades, and Chef I or the Heart 
 of Scorpio, are oppofite Conftellations, the 
 firfl: of which attends above the Horizon 
 in the beginning of the Vernal Equinox, 
 and prefages Rain and Heat, which open 
 the Earth and make it Fruitful ; and the 
 fecond when it afcends above the Hori- 
 rizon in the Autumnal Equinox prefages 
 Cold and Drought, which bind up the 
 Earth and hinder it from producing ; and 
 that it is for this reafon that "job afcribes 
 contrary Influences andVertues to them, 
 to wit, to the Pleiades, to caufe Joy or 
 Pleafure, which Man has no power to 
 bind or hinder ; and to the Heart of 
 Scorpio to biad and (hut up the Earth, fo 
 that a Man can't unbind or loote it ; 
 whence the Month or Moon of Otlober is 
 called Chejil by the Hebrews, becaufe 
 then that Star afcends with the Sun a- 
 bove the Horizon. It feems then that Job 
 by this defcription did defign to exprefs 
 the four parts of the World, the North by 
 Urfa Major, which he calls Am or Aais, 
 the Eafl by the Pleiades, which he calls 
 Chima, the Weft by the Heart of Scorpio, 
 which he calls Chef I, and the South by 
 the Chambers or the jeer et Pkces of the 
 
 S&<th, 
 
[ 59) 
 
 South. For it cannot be doubted but 
 that the words Aas y and Aau y do fignifie 
 Urfa Major, or the North Pole, fince, as 
 Bochart has obferved, the Arabians give 
 it that name at this day. We ftiould 
 therefore tranflate , he hath wade Urfa 
 Major t and the Star called the heart of 
 Scorpio, and the Pleiades, and the mojl fe- 
 cret Parts of the South, Job 9. 9. And can 
 you fop or hinder the Jweet Influences of the 
 Pleiades, or Moderate the binding Inflw 
 ences of cold \ and drought of the Star called 
 the heart of Scorpio, Job 38. 31. 
 
 The Verfions fay, that Jonas was three 
 days and three nights in the Whales belly, 
 Matth. ii. 40. Tlio' the word in the 
 Original does no more fignifie a Whale 
 than it does any other great Fifh that has 
 Fins, and tho' naturahfts have obferved, 
 that the Whales throat is fo far from be- 
 ing wide enough to fwallow over a whole 
 Man, that it has but half a Foot of wide- 
 nefs, and that they eat nothing but grafs 
 and fmall Fifhcs. It's true, that ibme 
 Divines have endeavoured to prove, that 
 there is nothing impofliblc in this matter: 
 But fince all Hiftorians that fpeak of 
 the Mediterranean , lcklom mention 
 Whales, but make frequent mention of 
 a monftrous Fifli which they call Car- 
 char ii' 
 
[6o] 
 chrias, or Lamia, which has the Throat 
 and Belly fo prodigioufly great, that it 
 can eafily fwallow over a Man, without 
 the leaft hurt; It is much more natural 
 to believe that it was one of thefe Fifties 
 which fwallowed Jonas, than to multi- 
 ply Miracles without neceflity, by fup- 
 pofing that God, who kept Jonas alive 
 in the Fifhes Belly, could alfo have en- 
 larged the Whales Throat. RonJelet re- 
 lates, that he had feen upon the Coafts 
 of Saintogne one of thofe Fifties, of an 
 ordinary fize, and weighing no more 
 than twenty pound, which yet had the 
 Throat i'o wide as could hold the largeft 
 Man; and P. Gillis affures us, that in his 
 time fome of thofe monfters had been 
 catched at Nice, and at Marfeils which 
 weighed four thoufand Pounds, and that 
 they had found in their belly Men har- 
 nefs'd all over. It feems then that the 
 words ftiould be tranflated, That Jonas 
 ( io. ) was t' jree days and three nights in the bel- 
 ly of a great Fifb, as the moft learned In- 
 terpreters of the Scriptures do acknow- 
 ledge, and the Syriack, Arabick, and Z> 
 thicpick Verfions have rendred it ; befides 
 that the Hiftory of Jonas does not ex- 
 prefs it otherwiie. 
 
 Annota- 
 
[6i ] 
 
 Annotations on Chap. III. 
 
 (i.jSee Eutycb Alexander Anal. p. 113. ( 4- ) 
 R. 'jonas & R. Kimki, tbeodoret. 2 
 Kings 9.11. The Talmud. Tr. Megil- 
 la, c. 3, Be/on. Singul. 1.2. c. 53. 91. 
 
 (l.) The Lacia Verb invenio, fometimes 
 fignifies to find out fomc new thing, 
 but the Hebrew Verb mat] a, has ne- 
 ver that fignification. 
 
 (^.)Job. 1. 3. Gen. 12. 16. & 24. 35. 
 & 34. 28. & 47. 17. Exod. 9 3. 
 Numb. 31. 3:. Jojb'ta 6. ir. C^ 7. 
 24. Judges 6. 4. 1 Sam. 15. 3. 
 
 (4.) 1 #/;;gi I. 33. ttf 10. 25. 2 6^.13. 
 29. S^ 18. 9. 2 Chron. 9. 24. 
 
 (j.) The Septuagint. Aqu/la, Symmacbus 
 & Tbeodotion, render it by the word 
 Jamein, for fome alteration might 
 have hapned by the fault of Tran- 
 fenbers, which is frequent in this 
 Verfion. and a very imallTranipo- 
 fition of Letters werefufficient with 
 the Greek Termination^ make the 
 word Jamein of the Hebrew word 
 
 (6.) The Rabbi Solomon y Nacbmanides , 
 Jacob Abendanab^nd Aaron Cadraita y 
 follow the ChalJcc farapbrafe. See 
 
 f Sit 
 
[6z] 
 F. Simon Reponce anx cent, fur la 
 Crit. c. II. p. 254. 
 (7.) P. Fagius, Vatahlus y Malvenda & Me- 
 noch, after Abenezra. See P/ 104. 
 1 1. 20. xjr. Ezekiel 1. 5. © 7. 
 
 £8.) The Hebrew word ^/// fignifies a 
 Bird, or Beaft of Prey, and Tfepoa, 
 a thing of divers Colours. See 
 Fuller Mifcel. lib. 6. cap. 29. Bereft 
 chit Rabba cap. 7. Epifl. Heb. M. S. 
 Holmie de Animalibus, Elias En- 
 thisbi. 
 
 (9.) Levit. 4. 5. Deut. 14. 7. P/ 104. 
 1 8. Prov. 30. 26. 
 
 (10.) See Pineda Bocbart. Hieroz. Tr. 
 2. lib. 5. cap. 12. Horneus , 
 Bartholinus , G*/?/*0 Ribera 9 C. a 
 Lapide Drufius, P. Simon, &c. 
 
 G H A P. I v. 
 
[ «3 1 
 
 C H A P. 1 V. 
 
 Tl)at the Jmbignous Words of the Ori- 
 ginal ^ have often given occafion to 
 Tranflators to be deceived themfelves 
 and to deceive others. 
 
 IT cannot be denied, but that when wc 
 meet in an Author with equivocal 
 Terms, or which is the fame, with terms 
 that fignifie feveral things ; we 
 muft take them in the fenic which comes 
 nearefl to the defign of the Subjedt that 
 is treated of. If this Rule had been 
 obferved in Tranflating the Scriptures, 
 inflead ofconiulting the Syftems of eve- 
 ry Party, Tranflators had certainly fuc- 
 ceeded much better than they have 
 done. 
 
 We might have obferved, in the pre- 
 ceding Chapters, a confiderable number 
 of Examples whererein the Verfions are 
 not exad: enough, with refpeft to this 
 Rule ; and there arc a great many more 
 which have not been mentioned ; ibme 
 
 of 
 
i r «4~ i 
 
 of the chiefeft of which fhall make the 
 Subjedt of this Chapter. 
 
 I. The Verfions manifeftly make St. 
 Paul Lie, when they make him fay, in 
 the prefence of the Jewijh Council, fpea- 
 king of the High Priefl Ananias, I volfl 
 not Brethren that he was the High Priefl, 
 A&$ z$. 5. For it is almoft impoffible 
 but that Paul muft have known die grea- 
 tefl part of the Members of that Coun- 
 cil, and efpecially the High Pried, who 
 made a particular Figure in that Affem- 
 bly, whofe Garments alone were enough 
 to diftinguiih him from others. 'Tis 
 true,that for fome years before,/W had 
 not been at Jerufalem, and that Ananias 
 was exalted to that Dignity in his ab- 
 fence; befides that, there was then fuch 
 a confufion in the Jewijh Government, 
 that fometimes three different High 
 Priefts were chofen in one year. But 
 fince he had lived at Jerujalem a great 
 many years before, and in a Capacity 
 of becoming himfelf a Member of the 
 Council, having been brought up at the 
 Foot of Gamaliel, Prefident of the Coun- 
 cil, and being already an Officer of ir, 
 fince he had a Commiflion to Perfecute 
 the Chriftians at Damafcas ; it is not to 
 be prefumed, that he had fo loft the Idea 
 
 of 
 
[6 S 1 
 of thofe Perfons iliac made up that Coun- 
 cil, that he could not diflinguifh them, 
 when he returned to that City. It is 
 likewife oblervcd in the fo lowing vcric t 
 that Paul perceived that one part of the 
 Council were S adduces, and the other 
 Pharifees ; but how could he have diftin- 
 guifhed thole Perfons, unlels he had had 
 a particular knowledge of them 2 and 
 how could he have taken the High Priefl 
 to witnejs, Ads 21. 5. that he had per fl- 
 atted the Chriftiatts unto death, if he had 
 not known him > But let us luppofe 
 that he did not know that Ananias was 
 High Prieft, orPrefident of the Council, 
 yet he could nor, at Icalt, be ignorant, 
 that he was one of the Senators or Prin- 
 ces of the People ; lb that he had ftill 
 equally violated the Law which he ad- 
 duces for hisjuftification, which flri&ly 
 prohibited any Pcrlon to cxrfe the Ruler of 
 his People: Be(idcs,it can be no very advan- 
 tageous opinion of the Apo(lle,that he pro- 
 nounced thole terrible words again(lW;w- 
 nias^ without knowing hxm^God Jhall fmite 
 thee thou whited wall ; and to think that 
 he was fo tranfported with Anger, that 
 he did not know who he was againft 
 whom he denounced this Prediction , 
 nor what was his Character. Is it not 
 much more natural to acknowledge that 
 
 Ff the 
 
[ 66 ] 
 he fpoke wifely, and by the Authority 
 and Diredion of the Holy Ghoft, as be- 
 came an Apoftle, than to imagine that 
 he retra&ed and excuied his pretended 
 Raflmefs, by his want of knowledge > 
 However it be, if this Ananias was the 
 
 ( i ) High Pried of the fame name, whom 
 the Talmud affirms to have been killed 
 with the Son of Gamaliel, and R. Ifhmael, 
 at the time of the Deftru&ion of Jeru- 
 falem, the Apofties Prediction wanted 
 neither Apology nor Retractation. 
 
 ( 2, ) Interpreters alledge, that the Apofties 
 Declaration of his Ignorance, in refpedt 
 to the Character of Ananias, was not a 
 formal Retractation, but an Irony. But 
 how can we imagine, that the Apoftle's 
 Gravity, and the Circumftance in which 
 he was, could fufFer him to ridicule his 
 Judges, at the very time when he ac- 
 knowledged, that God had commanded 
 
 , to Refpedt them. 
 
 ^ y '' Thefe Confederations have obliged fe- 
 veral Learned Fxpofitors to have re- 
 courfe to another Signification of the 
 Term of the Original that the Apoftle 
 makes uie of, which feems much better 
 to exprefs his Defign. They obferve 
 that this Term does oftentimes fignifie 
 to acknowledge ; fo that St. Paul is fo far 
 
 from 
 
[ 6 7 } 
 
 from excufing what he had (aid, that he 
 declares he docs not acknowledge Ana* 
 mat for the High Fuel I, not only be- 
 caufe that Office hadccaled at the Death 
 of Jefus Chrift, who afterwards was to 
 be the only High Piieft, as he declares, 
 . 9. but alio bccaulc, in effect, A" 
 tia*tdi was not the true High Pricft, 
 having only ufurped this Ojfice, which 
 by right belonged to the Son of Gama- 
 hel y called S/meen, or to I/bnoaely or to 
 Jofephiu, and having made himielf Ma- 
 iler of it by Bribery. Bcfidcs that, St. 
 Paul might have learned from GamA 
 himfelf, that a Judge who had bought 
 his Office was not a right Judge, and 
 that there was no refpect due CO him, 
 but that he was to be looked upon at ad 
 Af$, as the Talmud oblerves. St. Paul 
 therefore had renfon to lay, / did not 
 acknowledge that he was the high Pri 
 
 II. When the Verfions expiefs the 
 Character that is given to Jofeph^ and to 
 other good Men,by the word Jufi^ Mate. 
 1. 19. A3s 10. 21, (yc. 'Tis true, that 
 the Term in the Original has that figni- 
 fication ; but k is alio certain, that the 
 words which fignitic Juft or Righteous y 
 and Jujlice or Rifhteoufncfs^ in the He- 
 brew, the ftile of which the Authors of 
 F f z the 
 
 C+) 
 
[ 68 ]' 
 
 the tfew-Tejlament have imitated, do like- 
 wife often fignifie M ^-d Mercy. 
 The d therefore *>f the bo 
 impioys them, determines their fig 
 cation in the place? where they aie to 
 be found, it cannot be faid , that St. 
 Matthew did defign to reprefent Jofeph 
 as a man that obierved the molt exad 
 Rules of Juflice , iince, upon that occa- 
 fion, according to the Law, inflead of 
 putting the BlefTed Virgin away, as he 
 refolved to have done, he ihould have 
 made her a Pullick Example, and had her 
 ftovedto Death, Deut. 21.23. The word 
 therefore in the Original fhould not have 
 been rendred by that of Juft, but by that 
 of Human or Merciful, as St. Chrtfofiom 
 has remark'd. We muft likewife tran- 
 flate, that God is merciful, 1 Joh. 19. 
 and not that he is Jufi; for it is his Mer- 
 cy, and not his Juflice, that pardons 
 Sins. When it is (aid that God hath gi- 
 ven Chrift to be a propitiation through 
 Faith in his Hood, to declare his righte- 
 oufntfi ; we muft render, to declare his 
 mercy, Rom. 3. 25. Whereas the Ver- 
 fions make St. Peter to fay, that Corne- 
 lius was a jufl Man ; and St. Paul, their 
 righteoufnef endureth for ever. We muft 
 tranflate, that Cornelius ivas a charitable 
 
 Man, 
 
[ H ] 
 JVa»i and their charity endureth for \ 
 
 Ads 10. 22. i (>?/- 9. 9. as 7/ 
 hath oblcrvcd. There is in the Book 
 of the P/i/n>| an evident proof, that the 
 Hebrew word Tfidek d\ Joes not always 
 fignifie exafl and fevcre J#ftice % but Jike- 
 wile Clemency and Mercy. If D^x'/^/had 
 promiled to God to praife him for his 
 Itrici J><(Hce^ he could not have expect- 
 ed that he fhould have pardoned him \o 
 much Blood, which he had fpilt ; much 
 Jefs could he have prayed, that God 
 (hould hear him, becauje of this right eouf- 
 nefi ;. fmcehis Rightcoulne'iS did require 
 that he fhould abandon and forfake him; 
 but he might well promile to God, to 
 Jing aloud of his mercy, and intreat him to 
 give ear to his /applications in bis clemency, 
 by pardoning him his Sins, of which 
 he did fenoufly repent, Pf. 1. 14. and 
 143. 1. 
 
 The Authors of the New-Teft anient t 
 who have almofi: all writ in Greek, might 
 well imitate the Stile of the Hebrews % in 
 retaining fome equivocal Terms, tho > 
 they could have exprefled them in 
 more prccile and proper Words: But 
 Tjcanflators ougl.' not to have followed 
 their example, becaufe wc are not now 
 of the lame Difpofition of Mind which 
 F ; the 
 
[70] 
 the firfl; Chriftians were, who being al- 
 moft all Hebraizing Greeks, that is, Per- 
 fons accuftomed to the Greek Stile of the 
 Jem, knew the different Signification ot 
 thofe Terms, and confequently could 
 perceive their true meaning, when they 
 heard them exprefled , according to the 
 Subjed: to which they were applied. 
 
 III. Tis by virtue of this Principle, 
 that all modern Interpreters have made 
 no fcruple to forfake the Vulgar Latin, 
 upon feveral occasions, tranflating that 
 noshing is impoffible to God, whereas the 
 Vulgar Latin lays, no word is impoffiUe to 
 God, Luke i. 37. And that which is 
 faid ? Luke z. 15*. Let us Jee this thing 
 which is come to pafs ; whereas tke Vul- 
 gar Latin fays, Let us fee the word that 
 is come to pafs, &c. The Vulgar Latin 
 tranflates word, becaufe the Greek Term 
 Logos, does indeed often fignifie a word, 
 but fince it anfwers to the Hebrew word 
 Eebhar, which is very Equivocal, and 
 fignifies fometimes a word, fometimes a 
 thing, fometimes a Reafon, fometimes a 
 Jubjett, &c. we muft neceflarily deter- 
 mine its fignification according to the 
 matter which is fpoken of, unlefs we 
 would fill the Reader's Mind with con- 
 futed and chimerical Notions. 
 
 IV. The 
 
[ -i J 
 
 IV. The Vcrfions make Mojes and 
 our Saviour lay, that man lives not iy 
 bread alone, but I) even word that comet h 
 out of the month of God, Dent. 8. 8. and 
 Alatth. 4. 4. But the words fliould be 
 rendrcd, that man lives not /\ head only, + 
 but by every thing that God has appointed, 
 or every thing which he has ordained for 
 his nourz/hment. The Vulgar Latin makes 
 the Apoftlc lay, Abd n-e are witncffes of 
 thefe words ; and the Geneva Verfiou, 
 tVe are his witne[]:s ((what we [ay, A(5ls 
 >. 32. But it mould be rendred, And 
 we are his mtneffti of thefe things ; as it 
 is in our Tranflation. Thefe two Ver- 
 sions, and likewife Ours, make St. peter 
 lay, Te know the word that is pul lijled 
 throughout all Judea ; and St. Luke, All 
 theje Jayings were no'/jed abroad, Acts 10. 
 1J. Luke 1. 65. But we fhould render 
 the words, Ton know that which is happen- 
 ed in Judea, and : bingS were n.ujed 
 
 abroad y &c. 
 
 V. All Interpreters acknowledge, that (9.) 
 the Hebrew Verb Bara % does not always 
 flgnifie what we call to O id our 
 
 Language, and that the Hebrew, not 
 having compound Verbs, arc obliged to 
 make utc of fimplc Verbs, in the fa;v 
 enic that other Languages make utc of 
 F f 4 Com 
 
[ 7*1 
 
 Compounds ; fo that they fay to Create^ 
 for to make again, or to give a new Form 
 to a thing. This Term alfo is often 
 taken in a Metaphorical Senle by them, 
 and fignifies to be exalted to a charge or 
 Office, to be re-eft ablijhed in a better ft ate 9 
 or to recover loft liberty ; whence it's of- 
 ten imployed to fignifie Regeneration, as 
 St. Jerom has obferved. But fince the 
 word to Create fignifies generally in our 
 Language, to bring a thing out of no- 
 thing, or to produce fomething which 
 was not before, it is a manifefl Error to 
 imploy it, when we only fpeak of being 
 exalted to a dignity, or re-eftaUifhed in 
 liberty, or of Regeneration, unlefs we de- 
 termine it to thefe fignifications , by 
 fome quality which is added to it. It 
 feems then, that when Mofes fpeaks of 
 the pyodu&ion of Men, and of Fifties, 
 Gen. i. 21. 27. we fhou'd imploy the 
 Word to inform, or to make , and not 
 that to Create, fince it is certain, that 
 God did not bring them out of nothing, 
 but formed them out of the Dull: of the 
 Earth and of Water : And the fame A- 
 (6.) mendmentmuft be made in feveral other 
 places of Scripture. Much Jefs are we 
 to fufFer the term to Create in the Ver- 
 fions, when they fpeak of the re-eftablifto- 
 
 went 
 
 (?) 
 
[73 1 
 
 ment of a State which has been deflroyed, ( 7. ) 
 or the rc-placcing of a Man in ibmc 
 Dignity , fince it gives no juft L 
 Jca of what God declares on thole oc- 
 cafions. 
 
 VI. The Vulgar Latin, the Geneva 
 Vcrfion, and Ours, make Alofes fay, that 
 vohatfoevet toucheth the Altar foal! be holy, 
 Lxod. 29. 37. And that whofoever touch- 
 etb the offerings made by fire unto the 
 Lord, /ball be holy, anrl that whojoever 
 fball touch the offering for fin \ (ball he ho- 
 /y, Lev. 6. 18. xj. And they make the 
 Idolatrous Jews fay, Come not near me, 
 for I am holier than thou, I f.6 5. 5". becaufc 
 they did not take notice that thcHcbrcw 
 Verb Kadafh not only figni ics to Saudi fie 
 or make holy, but alio to defile or to make 
 unclean- Had they but only confidcr'd 
 that God forbids coming near the Altar, 
 and that Mofes appoints every thing up- 
 on which fome drops of the Blood of 
 the Offering did come, ihould be waflfd 
 in the holy Place, they had not com- 
 mitted this miflakc, but tranflatcd thoft 
 places according to their natural Signi- 
 fication, thus, whoever touches the Attar 
 fball he defiled^ or {hall be unclean ; 
 Come not near me , lor I will make v^- ) 
 
 you 
 
t 74) 
 
 you unclean ; as learned Men haue otr 
 ferved. 
 
 VII. Interpreters are at a great deal 
 of pains to explain what St. Paul fays, 
 that the woman fkafi be faved in Child- 
 bearings i Tim. 2. i j. Some, as Epi- 
 phanius underfland by the Woman, Eve, 
 who they fay was faved by bringing 
 forth the blefled Seed which was to 
 bruife the head of the Serpent. But if 
 the Apoftle had meant this, he had not 
 expreffed himfelf in the future, but in 
 the preterit, as he had done in the verfes 
 before. Others, as Calvin, Daneus, &c« 
 underfland it of all Women, as if the A- 
 poftle did defign to comfort them, and 
 to keep them from defpair, upon their 
 remembring, that a Woman had ingaged 
 all Men in Sin ; and at the fame time to 
 encourage them in bringing forth their 
 Children, as being a Duty which Should 
 be advantageous to them and agreeable 
 to God. Some explain the words fhall 
 le faved, of their deliverance from the 
 Pains and Dangers of Child-bearing, o- 
 thers, of eternal Salvation, as if the 
 pains and dangers of Child-bearing did 
 expiate their Sins; others, in fine, think 
 that the Apoftle attributes this Salvation, 
 not to the A& of Child-bearing, but td 
 
 that 
 
[ 75 1 
 that which follows in rhe Text, that is, 
 
 their continuance in Charity and Holinefs 
 with fobriety.ttut not co enter into all thofc 
 Speculations, which have all as much 
 difficulty as the Text it felf, or rather 
 more ; it is evident, that the Apoftle 
 would fay, that tho' Women have not a 
 liberty to teach publickly, as he had 
 proved in the 9//', io/ 1 / 7 , 11, and izth. 
 Veries, yet they are not excluded from 
 the hope of Salvation, providing they 
 bring up and inftrud: their Children well, 
 and govern their Family aright \ for the 
 word in the Original does no lefs figni- 
 fie the Education of Children, than the 
 Bearing of them, as St. Lhryfojlom has 
 obferved, and as may be feen in ieveral 
 places of the Septuagint, as Gen. 5-0. 13. 
 Ruth 4. 17. 2 Sam. 21. 8. where they 
 tranflate the Hebrew Verb falad by the 
 Greek word Tebwipnia, which the Apo- 
 ftle makes ufe of, tho' thole places on- 
 ly relate to the Education of thole to 
 whom this word is applied. For the 
 Children of Machin the Son of W.wj(Jeh y 
 were not brought forth, but brought up 
 upon the knees of Jojeph ; N.ihorm did 
 not trhtg forth O/cv/, but brought him 
 up : And Michal was not the Wife of A- 
 driel, but Meral, and flic had no Chil- 
 dren 
 
I 76] 
 ( 9. ) dren, but flie trough? up thofe whom 
 Merab had to AdrieL The Jews obferve 
 on this Subjed, that whoever brings up 
 a Pupil in his Houfe, is in Scripture faid 
 to have begotten him. It is in this Scnfe 
 that Aholibama is called the Daughter of 
 Ana, the Daughter of Zileon the Hivite, 
 Gen. 36.2. flie being indeed the proper 
 Daughter of Ana, but the Daughter of 
 Zibeon by Adoption or Education : And 
 it is faid, that Mofes was the Son of ?ha- 
 roah's Daughter, tho' fhe had only taken 
 care of his Education, Exod.z. 10. and 
 it isiperhaps in this fenfe that xhzGeneratu 
 ons of Aaron ^ are called the Generationso t Mo- 
 fes, Numb. 3. 1. We muft obferve far- 
 ther, that what our Verfion renders fhe, 
 Ihou d be rendred they. So that the A- 
 poftles words run thus, Never thelejs fhe 
 fhall he faved in bringing up Children, fo 
 as that they fhall continue in Faith, in Cha- 
 rity, in Holinefs, and Mcdejly. 
 
 VIII. Some are of opinion that the 
 two firft words of the Gofpel according 
 to St. Matthew, are ill Tranflated, and 
 that Mofes makes ufe ufe of Terms Equi- 
 valent to thofe that are im ployed by the 
 Evangelift, upon occafions where there 
 is no mention made of Generation or Ge- 
 nealogy. We find in all the Verfions, 
 except in the laft Revifion of the Flemifb 
 
 Bible, 
 
[ 77 1 
 Bible, Theje are the Generations of Jacob, 
 Gen. 37. 2. tho' there is not one word 
 fpoken either of Generation, or bringing 
 forth of Children, nor of Genealogy,but 
 only of the Love which Jacob had for 
 Jofeph, and of the manner how he was 
 abufed by his Brethren, and how the 
 Providence of God difpofed of that E- 
 vent, to exalt Jqfeph to the firft Dignity 
 in Egypt> and to fave them from the 
 Famine which happen'd afterwards. 
 Wherefore the moft Learned Jewijb Do- 
 dors oblerve, that the Hebrew word 
 Toledoth, which is imployed in this place, / Ia 
 and which fometimes fignifies Genera- 
 tions, or a Genealogy, doth fignifie here, 
 and in fome other places of Scripture, (n.) 
 the Hiftory of thofe who are fpoken of, 
 and that fo it fhould be Tranflated, if 
 we would exprefs what it fignifies. This 
 may be confirmed by what is laid Numb. 
 3. 1. which the Verftons render thus, 
 Theje are the Generations of Aaron and 
 Mofes ; for there is not the leaft mention 
 made of the Family of Mofes in all that 
 Book; and Ger/hou, who is mentioned v. 1 7. 
 wasthe Son of Levi 9 \vho lived already be- 
 fore Mofes. We ihould therefore tranflate 
 this Text,7/;b is the Hiflon of what banned 
 to Aaron and Moles, unleis we Ihould 
 think that The Generations of Aaron Ihould 
 
 be 
 
1 78] 
 
 be called the Generations of MoJeSj for 
 the reafon already mentioned. It were 
 to be wifhed, as Vitringa obferves, that 
 Chriftians did not owe the true Signifi- 
 cation of the firft words of the New Te- 
 (lawent, to the Title of one of the moft 
 abominable Books that ever has been 
 compofed againft the Gofpel, called Se- 
 pher Toledoth Jefu. The Impoftor who 
 compofed it, and whomthofe of his own 
 Nation abhors,has not dar'd to make his 
 name known, and does not pretend to 
 fpeak dire&ly againft the Genealogy of 
 Jefus Chrift, but oppofes his impious 
 Hiftory to the true Hiftory of the Acti- 
 ons of Jefus, by giving his prophane 
 Satyr the fame name which St. Matthew 
 hath given to his Gofpel, calling it the 
 Hiftory of Jefus 3 for lb the firft words 
 of that Gofpel fhould be Tranflated ; 
 which are the true Title or Infcription 
 of it : It being acknowledged by all the 
 Learn'd, that the Title of the Go/pel accor- 
 ding to St. Matthew, was not given it by 
 the Author , but by fome Chriftians, 
 to whom we muft alio attribute the other 
 Titles of the following Books of the 
 New Teftament. Moreover it is certain, 
 that the Greek word Genefis does not 
 only fignific Generation^ good Authors, 
 
 but 
 
[ 79] 
 but alio the Origin of all forts of things, 
 which is commonly difcover'd and laid 
 open in Hiftorics ; befides that, a confi- 
 derable part of them does confifl in re- 
 lating the Succcffion of Men, which is 
 owing to Generation : So that there are 
 no terms more proper to fignifie the Hi- 
 ftory than thofe of T ok doth or Genefis, 
 which the Authors of the Old-Teftament y 
 and St. Matthew have imployed with this 
 defign. But fuppofe that thofe two 
 words fhould be rendred Generation, yet 
 it is a grofs miftake to Tranflate thole 
 of Sepher arid Blblos by the Book. For 
 cho' the Hebrews, and the Septuagint, of- 
 ten make ufe of thofe Terms to fignifie 
 a Book, yet they make ufe of them more 
 frequently to fignifie a Letter or 43, or 
 Contract, as may be ken in feveral places^ lz ) 
 of Scripture, referr'd to on the Margin; 
 where the Verfions have very well tran- 
 flated them, by a Bill or Letter. ' They 
 fhould therefore at leaft have been Tran- 
 flated, The Letter or del of the Genera- 
 tion ot'Jefus Chr/ft, or fimply the Genealo- 
 gy ofJe[usChrift,as thofe of the Port Royal 
 have done. But it feems to have been 
 fufficicntly proved, that St. Matthews 
 defign was not only to defcribe the 
 Genealogy of Jeius, but his compleat 
 Hiftory IX The 
 
[ 8o] 
 IX. The quality of Sons or Children 
 joined to another Word, fignifies in Scri- 
 pture Language fome fomething elfethan 
 what we commonly take them for in 
 ours, where they denote any Perfons im* 
 mediate Off-fpring ; for in the Hebrew 
 and Greek of the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment, they not only fignifie that, but 
 alfo a Diiciple, or a Perlon who applies 
 (13O himfelfto fome particular thing, and is 
 Matter of it. As when the Scripture 
 fpeaks of the Children of of Wifdom, the 
 Children of Abraham, the Sons of God and 
 of the Devil, the fons of Difohedience, the 
 Children of Light , the Children of Un- 
 righteoufnefSy the Children of the Evil One^ 
 the Children of the Pharifees. That is to 
 fay, thofe who follow the Maxims of 
 thofe Virtues or Vices, or who profefs 
 the Dodrine and Difcipline of thofe Do- 
 lors. It was in this fenl'c that our Sa- 
 viour asked the Pharifses,by whom their 
 Children ithat is to fay, their Difciples) 
 did cad out Devils, It is alfo in this 
 Senfe that we are to take that Expref- 
 fion of the Sons of the Prophets, and that 
 the Apo (lies did call the Chriftians their 
 Children, 1 Cor. 4. 14. 17. Philem. v. 
 10. and the Jews obferve, thnt whofoever 
 teaches the Law to his Friends Son, is to 
 
 be 
 
[ Sr ] 
 
 he looked upon as if he had lego! ten 
 whence R. c Mofes Giron remarks upo:i 
 'what is laid, Numb. 3. 1. Afoju . 
 1 are the Generations of Moles, and Ant 
 'that the Pofterity of Aaron are ca 
 ' the Pofterity of /Wip/kr, becaufe 
 1 had taught them the Law, and 1 
 1 whofoever teaches the Law to ano 
 ' is looked upon as if he had given hi u 
 ' Life. Bat fince the People are not ac- 
 quainted with this ftilc, thefe wordson 
 inch occafions mould be Tranflated 
 that of Difcjples. 
 
 But when this quality of Sons or Chil- 
 dren is joined to words, which deno^ 
 rewards or punifbments , they fignify ; 
 chofe who are fpoken of are liable u 
 fuch things : As when we find the Si 
 of Peace, the Sons of Hell, the Child; 
 of Death, the Sons of Panifhmeni, . 
 Children of Wrath, the Children of 
 Refut -reel ion > the So-is of Perdition, So . 
 That is to fay, that the Perfons 
 called defervc to be happy or mifefablc. 
 and thus too they mould be rejnderd, i 
 we would have them to be underftocd 
 by the moft of Readers. 
 
 The Title of Son or Daughter giver 
 a Country, or to a Toivn fignifies the 
 habitants of it, as when we find 
 
 G g Chu 
 
 •'; { ■ 
 
[8>] 
 
 Children of this Wortd,* or of this Genera- 
 tion, the Sons or Daughters of Jerufalem, 
 the Daughter of Zion, &c. That is, the 
 Inhabitants of this World, of Jerufalem, of 
 Zion, and io they ought to be expref- 
 fed. 
 
 The Scripture alfo fometimes gives 
 the name of Sons or Children to Slaves 
 or Servants, as St. Auftin has obferved 
 on thofe words, and we fhall he the Chil- 
 dren of my Lord, Gen. 44. 9. which the 
 Geneva Verfion and Ours have very well 
 render'd, and we alfo fhall le my Lord's 
 Bondmen: And likewife where the Origi- 
 nal fays, Our Father thy Child is well. 
 Gen. 43. 18. Thefe two Verfions have 
 very well render'd, Thy Servant, our Fa- 
 ther, is in good health : For the quality 
 of Children could neither agree to Jacob, 
 or his Sons, upon that occafion. The 
 ( 16) Latins did alfo often ufe the word puer, 
 in the fame fenfe, and it is manifeflly 
 io taken in fome other places of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 The quality of Children fignifies alfo 
 not only thofe who are in Childhood, but 
 likewife Perfons who are fimple, and 
 wuhout guile, and whofe fincerity has 
 not been corrupted by the Malice of the 
 World. The Septuagint make it fignify 
 
 thus 
 
[ »3 ] 
 thus, Pfal. 1 8. 8. 1 14. 6. The Vcrfi- 
 fion of Symachus, Vrov. 1. 4. And it 
 is evident that our Saviour rook it in 
 this Senic, when lie lays, Father Ipraije 
 thee that thou haft revealed thofy things to 
 little Children^ Mitch, n. 7.5. That is, 
 to fimplc Perfbns whom he oppofes to 
 the wife and prudent ; and 'tis likcwife 
 taken in the lame lenie, 1. Jo. 212, 
 14. 
 
 X. The quality of the Sen of Ma* is 
 likcwife very ambiguous: For itfignifies 
 fometimes Jefits Chrift, but it is ailo of- 
 ten taken for a Man of low degree, and 
 likewiie a Man in general. In this lafl 
 fenfe Hakjpan thinks it fliould be taken, 
 when iris faid, that the Son of Man hath 
 not where to lay his head, Matth. 8. 10. 
 And that the Blafphemy againft the Son of , 1 
 Man Jhall he more eafily pardoned than 
 the Blafphemy againjt the Holy Ghofl, 
 Matth. 12. 32. And this likewiie is the 
 Senfe which leveral other Learned Men 
 do give to this laft Pafiage of Sc. Mat- 
 thew, a;id the Words thus taken are pa- 
 ralel to what we find 1 Sam. 2. 25. If 
 one Man fin again fl another the Judge 
 fhall Judge him : But if a Man (in again}} 
 the Lord y who Jhall tntreat for him? But 
 that which renders this interpretation 
 . G g 2 more 
 
[ 84] 
 
 mere paobable is this; that St. Mark 
 makes no mention ef the Blafphemy a- 
 gainft the Son of Man, faying only, that 
 all fins and Elafphemies [bail be forgiven 
 unto the Sons of Men, Mark 3. 28. which 
 fliows that there is no queftion here of 
 a particular Sin againft the Son of God, 
 which St. Mark had not fail'd to have 
 fpecified, if any fuch thing had been 
 meant by that expreflion. 'Tis likewife 
 in the fame fenfe we are to undcrftand, that 
 the Son of Man is Lord alfo of the Sahhath 9 
 Mark 11. 8. as appears from St. Mark. 2. 
 27, 28. where our Saviour exprefsly fays, 
 that the Sabbath has been made for Man, and 
 not Man for the Sabbath. And that therefore 
 Man, is Lord alfo of the Sabbath, We muft 
 therefore tranflate all thofe words in their 
 proper fignification, and retain them (till 
 where our Saviour is evidently under- 
 ftood, who has been pleafed to take this 
 Title particularly to himfelf 
 
 Xr. The word in the Original which 
 anfwers to that otfirft-born, is no lefs 
 ambiguous than the former ; for lbme- 
 times it fignifies One that is born fir ft, 
 without refpedt to any following Chil- 
 dren, as when Chrift is called the firft 
 bom of Mary, Matth. 1. 2 5\andfometimes 
 it figniScs the eldefi of one or more re- 
 
 ten, 
 
[8,- ] 
 tht -en, aswhcn the Scripture calls Elial the 
 firft lorn ofjefs. Sam. ij. 13. and when 
 it fpeaks of the firft lorn of the Children 
 ofjol, 1. 18. But this word is like- 
 wile taken figuratively to fignify thofe 
 ive dearly love, becaulc Parents very of- 
 ten love their firft bom more than their o~ 
 ther Children, as may be leen in the Ex- 
 ample of Tfaac with rcipc<9:t*> Ejau, and ^ l0 '^ 
 ofjofeph, with reipCcl to Mattajfetb; and 
 it is in this icnfc that God calls the Jfrae- 
 lites his firfi hornin Icvcralplaces of Scrip- 
 ture, where, to avoid the ambiguity, we 
 are to trandate that God did give to the Is- 
 raelites marks of the moft tender ajjetlion. 
 
 The firft-born like wile in Scripture 
 Language fignifies that which is moft re- 
 markable either for great nejs or excellency \ 
 or for meannefs and voant ; as when God 
 calls the Ephrdmities his firft-born, and 
 when Mojes prophefies of the Tribe of 
 Jojeph, that his Glory ihouU-bc like the 
 firftling of his Bullocks, that is to fay, 
 that it fhould equal the Courage and 
 ftrength of the fcrongeft offhete "tin- 
 mals. ft is alio in this fenft that God 
 promifes to David or to Sol won to 
 him the firft-born of the Kings ■ Earth: 
 Since 'tis evident that tha m- 
 
 derftood with rcipc.:l to Birth, boi 
 
 G g 3 having 
 
[ 86 ] 
 having been younger Brothers of their Fa- 
 mily. On the contrary when the Scrip- 
 ture fpeaks of extream mifery or want, 
 it exprefles them by the firjt-born of the 
 dead, and the fir(i-born ef the Poor, that 
 is to fay, Peribns exposed to the mod 
 Cruel Death, and to the higheft pover- 
 ty, as the Jews who underftand their 
 own Language better than we do, do 
 acknowledge 
 
 There is therefore no doubt but that 
 this expreffion is to be reduced to its 
 proper ilgnification, when it is imploy- 
 ed in the New Teftament to remove the 
 ambiguity; and if Tranflators had ta- 
 ken this Method, they had prevented 
 feveral Errors which have troubled Chri- 
 ft endow. For example, if inftead of cal- 
 ling our Saviour the firft-born of Mary y 
 they had only called him her Son, St. 
 Jerom had not been fo much put to it to 
 anfwer Helvidius, who from this phrafe 
 took occafion to maintain, that the Vir- 
 gin had other Children by our Saviour, 
 and Hehidius had had no followers. If 
 inftead of calling our Saviour the firft- 
 lorn of many Brethren, Rom. 8. 29. the 
 jirft-lorn of all the Creatures Coll. 1. if. 
 and the firjl begotten of God, Heb. 1 . 6. 
 they had Tranflaced that he is the mott 
 
 Aug*/} 
 
{ 87 ] 
 
 Augujl or mofl glorious of many Brethren, 
 the mofl excellent or the mofl beleved, and 
 the mofl favoured of all the Creatures ; the 
 mofl dearly beloved Son of God; Arrius, 
 and his followers, had never imagined 
 that Chrift was the fir II of all the Crea- 
 tures, and the Church had been free 
 from all the Diforders into which it fell 
 upon this account. If when he is call'd 
 in the Original, the firft begotten of the 
 Dead, Revel, i. 5. They had rendred f 18, 
 that he is the Soverain, or the mofl Illuflri- 
 ous of the Dead, there would be no need 
 offuch long Commentaries upon this 
 expreflion, as the moft Learned Divines 
 do acknowledge. 
 
 Annotatims on Chap. IV. 
 
 The Talmud makes mention of this, (*•) 
 Ananias Tradt. Incbafin % fol. 57. 
 
 See Camerarius, Norinus, C. a Lapide, / z \ 
 Beza 9 Quiflorp. ad Ad. 23. y. 
 
 Beda, Gataker, Clopenlrugh, Epifl. ad (3.) 
 L. Capell 7. Lightfoot bar. Heb ad Adt 
 23. 5. 
 
 This is to be feen in the TalmuldTracl. ("4.) 
 Sanhedrim. 
 
 Sec IJaiah 4. 5-. and 41. 20. and 45. (>•) 
 G g 4 
 
^ 
 
 [ 88] 
 
 7. and 48. 7. and 54. 16. and 57. 19. Jet 
 31.21. 
 
 See rfal. 102. 19. and 104. 30. [fa* 
 65- 7. 
 
 See 7^ if' 17. 8. Ezek.zS. 15-. 
 
 As the .Rallies Solomon and ''Kimki and 
 the CbaUee Paraphrafe, and Flacius, Clav. 
 S.p. 1. C0/. 1079. 
 
 See Talmud, MaJJeck, Sanhed. c. 2. B?/& 
 ^•^Z, />. 100. CoL 1. ad z Sam. 21 ft. R. 
 So/ cm. 
 
 As G^. 10. 1. and 25". 12. and 36. 1. 
 
 Gen. 24. and 5*1. and 6. 9. Numb. 3. 
 r . 
 
 See £te#/. 24. 13. Either, 9 25. 26. 29'. 
 20. 7/j. 37. 14. and 39. i.and 50. 1. Jer. 
 3. 8. and 29. 25*. 29. and 31. 10. 11. 12, 
 and 51. 60. 63. Math. j. 31. and 19. 7. 
 !M*/*£ 1 o. 4. 
 
 Sec Matth. 11. 13. 7^ 8. 39. 7^// 1. 
 11. 13. Rom. 8. 14. 16. 17. and 9. 7. 8. 
 &?/. 3. 26. and 4. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 14. 23. 
 1 jM : fl 3-12, ^#i". 13.10. John 8. 44, 1. 
 Join 3. 10. /T/>^ 2. 2. and 5. 6 L«fo 16. 
 
 8. 1 Thef. 5. 5. Hof. 10.9. £>**/. 13. 13. 
 1 King 1. j 1. Matth. 12. 27. 
 
 See ZLa/fe 10. 6. Matth. 23. 1 5. 1 Sdw. 
 2,0.31. 2 Sam. iz. $.Pfa/. 102.21. />#.'. 
 25. z.Ephef. 2. 3. £*if 20. 36. jfoi'* *7- 
 n. 2 7/^'. 2.3. See 
 
[ 89 ] 
 
 See Luke 20. 34. Matth. 23. 37. and (1$.; 
 zi. 5-. Luke 11. 15. and 23. 28. 
 
 See 2 /T/wg 8. 9. and 16. 7. 1 S^w. /-^ > 
 25. 8. 
 
 As Genebrand l. 7. de Trin. Janfenius ( l7 ) 
 Concord. Evang. Grot/us, &c. 
 
 See Gen.z$. 28. and 48. 17, 18. Exod. ( ,§ ) 
 4. 22. Micah. 6. 7. Zdc7:. 12. 10. Heb. 
 12. 23. 
 
 As Arias Montan s , Cameron, Pifcator, ( I? j 
 Deodati, Drufius, Vorflius, Davenant, Gro- 
 tius, &c. After St. Athana(ius y Cyrill y Pro- 
 copius of Gaza, Fulgentius, &c. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 SW^ ItVo* ^ry neceffary to be obfervd 
 by Tranjldtors. 
 
 INterpreters and Commentarors have 
 remark'd two Rules, which Tranfla- 
 tors of the Scriptures (hould be careful 
 to obfervc. I. The firft is this, viz. That ( * ) 
 a Per/on is fome times in Scripture fa id to 
 do a thing, when the meaning is, that he 
 enly declares that the thing will be done, or 
 that it is d»ne already by thofe who are ca- 
 pable oj doing it. Thus God fays to the 
 
 Prophet 
 
[90] 
 
 Jcr. 1. 10. Prophet Jeremiah that he hadfet htm over 
 the Nations and over the. Kingdoms , to root 
 out anJtopuU down and to deflroy. Now 
 it is evident that it was neither the em- 
 ployment or work of a Prophet, to root 
 out, or pull down, or deflroy, but only 
 to declare and foretel that that was to 
 come to pafs. So likewife when God 
 
 K 6 faid to Ifa/ah, Make the Heart of this Veo- 
 ple fat, and make their Ears heavy, and 
 (hut their Eyes : Thoie Actions not being 
 in the Prophets Power, 'tis certain that 
 this order only fignified, declare to this 
 People, that their Heart is fat, that their 
 Ears are ftopt and their Eyes fliut. Hence, 
 the Prieft is commanded to make him 
 clean, whofe whole Flefh the Leprofy 
 covered over, fo that it is all white, our 
 
 Levit. i3-Tranflators have very well render'd, that 
 the Prieji was to pronounce him clean. The 
 fame expreilion is taken thus, in other 
 places of Scripture. 
 
 II. The fecond Rule is, That a thing 
 ( 2.) is oitenjaid to he done by a per f on, who on- 
 ly permits or at mofl grants that it (hould 
 he done, as may be feen in a great many 
 places of Scripture. And both thele 
 Rules may be comprehended in this one, 
 That when a Scripture Jeems to exprefs any 
 thing plainly contrary to right re of en, we 
 
 are 
 
 13 
 
are to conclude it rnujl admit of another 
 meaning. And indeed without we ufc 
 this method, we can't know what the 
 meaning of a word or phrafe is when it 
 is taken in different fenfes, whether it 
 fignify this or that, whether 'tis taken 
 figuratively or properly. In fliorr, with- 
 out this Rule, Revelation could ferve 
 for no other ufe but to puzzle and con- 
 found us, nay indeed without it wecan't 
 know what is Revelation, whether a 
 Dodrrine is from Heaven or not. God 
 when he reveal'd himfelf to Men, fup- 
 pos'd them Reafonable Creatures, and 
 unlefs they make ufe of the Reafon he 
 has given them to examine the Truths 
 contain'd in that Revelation, they may 
 as foon take them in a wrong fenfc as in 
 a right, as fcon believe the Fables of 
 the Alcoran as the Truths of the Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 llf. By thofe Rules we may eafily re- 
 ctify the mod of the faults that are to 
 be found in all Verfions, efpccially thofe 
 which afcribc to God iuch Adtions as 
 are unworthy of him, and are incompa- 
 tible with his Holinefs, Jufticc, Good- 
 nefs, and the ireft of his infinite Attri- 
 butes. 
 
 I. The 
 
[9* 1 
 
 I. The Verfions make Mofes and our 
 Deut u-Blefled Saviour to authorize the giving 
 '•*' 3, of Bills of Divorce, whence Libertines 
 and Jews think they have a Liberty to 
 put away their Wives, and look upon 
 that Cuftom, as an exprefs Command- 
 Mat. 19. ment °f God. But this is to be impu- 
 7,8.- ted to the Tranflators,who have not been 
 4 ,0 * exad: enough in rendering thewords of the 
 Original, which indeed oftentimes only 
 fignify a Command, but alfo fometimes 
 fignify a Bare permiflion. As when Da* 
 vi d fays, What have I to do with you, ye 
 a Sam - l6i Sons of Zerviah > Let him curfe, &c. and 
 as when God fays, That he Commanded 
 K 13. 3. his fanctified Ones, and called his mighty 
 Ones for his Anger. When it is impofli- 
 ble they can fignify a formal Command, 
 fince God fo exprefsly forbids to curie 
 the King, and fince he is not capable of 
 Commanding Tyranny, as Maimonides 
 and Cameron have very well obferv'd. 
 Thefe words alfo fometimes fignify a 
 promife, as Pf. 133. 3. where 'tis c- 
 vident we muft tranflate, ¥or God has 
 promife d the Blejfwg, and not God has com- 
 manded the Blejfwg. The fame amend- 
 ment muft be made. John 10. 18. This 
 promife, (not Commandment) I received 
 from the Father^ and John 12. and 15. 
 
 And 
 
i n ) 
 
 And I know that his promife is ever la/ling 
 life. For it was not a Commandment 
 which the Son received from the Father, 
 that if he did lay down his life he might 
 take it up again, but a promife mention- 
 ed Ff. 1 6. 10. and life eternal is alio a 
 promife and not a Commandment. When- 
 ever therefore thefc Expreffions which 
 fignify different things do occurr, we 
 ought to have regard to the iubjed: that 
 is treated upon and fince our Saviour 
 exprefsly calls what Mofes did in this 
 matter only a pcrmiflion, and mentions 
 the firfl Inftitution of Marriage, which 
 was quite contrary to Divorce, wefhould 
 tranflate, Why then did Mofes fuffer to 
 give a Bill of Divorcement, &c. 
 
 II. All who read the Words of Naa- 
 man, and the Anfwcr which Elifha gave 
 him, 2 Kings 5. 18, 19. are naturally in- 
 clin'd to think that one may comply 
 with Superftition without being guilty 
 in the fight of God, and that the Pro- 
 phet promis'd that God would pardon 
 him a behaviour which hshimielf look'd 
 upon as criminal and Idolatrous, fincc 
 he defir'd God's pardon for it. Cour- 
 ticrsTwho are engaged in Imploymertts 
 that oblige them to accompany their 
 Princes into Churches, where a Worfliip 
 
 is 
 
[94] 
 is perform' d which they difapprove, con- 
 clude themfelves fafe and innocent from 
 this Example, whereas they would look 
 on themfelves as guilty to the higheft 
 degree, if they did not perfwade them- 
 felves that God has allowed their Beha- 
 viour by his Prophet in the Perion of 
 this Favourite of the King of Syria^ with 
 refpeft to an Adion much more crimi- 
 nal than what they commit ; and the 
 f~\ moft ftrict guides of Confciences find 
 no fault with them on this account, 
 looking upon it only as an indiffe- 
 rent Ceremony, and as a part of their 
 charge and fervice that is purely Ci- 
 vil. But if we confider the true figni- 
 fication of the Words which Uaaman 
 makes ufe of, and the thread of this Dif- 
 courfe from the 1 5th verfe to the 20. we 
 ihall find that this is a dangerous delufi- 
 on, This Great Man when he faw hfs 
 Leprofy cured, declared that he would 
 afterwards acknowledge no other God 
 but the God of Ifrael, and that he would 
 offer neither burnt offerings nor facrifices 
 to any but to this God alone; but con- 
 fidering that he had formerly been guil- 
 ty of doing otherwife, and of having 
 bowed himfelf before the Idols in the 
 Temple ofRimrnov, whither he common- 
 ly 
 
I 95 ] 
 ly attended his Matter, the King of Sy- 
 ria, he defires of Elijha that this may 
 may be pardoifd him; to which the 
 Prophet aniwers, that he wifh'd him all 
 fort of happinefs, and that he might go 
 away aiTur'd of having his peace made 
 with God. We muft therefore tranflate 
 the i8'Verfe»in the timepafs'd,as feveral (4- ) 
 Learned Men acknowledge the Original 
 can hear, and not in the time to come, as 
 all theVerfions have done, except Lu- 
 ther" s, German Bible, printed at Weimar s, 
 with Notes, which renders it thus; In 
 On this thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, 
 that when my Mafler went into the houfe 
 of Rimmon to worfhip there, and he lean- 
 ed on my hand, I bowed my Jelf in the Houfe 
 of Rimmon. The Lord pardon thy Ser- 
 vant in this thing, that I bowed my f elf in 
 the Houfe of Rimmon. A*& he faid unto 
 him go in Peace. 
 
 III. The Tranflations make Mofes lay, 
 That God had not given the Ifraelites a 
 heart to under/land, nor Eyes to fee, nor 
 Ears to hear, Deut. 29. 4. From which 
 Libertins take occafions to delculpate 
 themfelves, and lay all their Sins at 
 God's door. Bur he who but opens the 
 Book may find, that God here highly 
 upbraids that People for their unbelief, 
 
 their 
 
t96] 
 their ftupidity and obftinacy in' their 
 fins, notwithstanding of all the Admo 
 nitions he had given rhem by his Ser- 
 vant Mojes^ and notwithflanding of all the 
 Promifes he had made to them of blef- 
 fing them if they hearken'd to his coun- 
 fel, and the terrible threatnings of gi- 
 ving them over to their Enemies, and 
 to plunge them into utter mifery and 
 ruin ; and, in fine, notwithflanding of 
 all the miracles and wonders which he 
 had done in their favour, fince the be- 
 gining of their deliverance from the 
 Egyptian Bondage, to engage them to 
 obferve his Laws. How then is it poi- 
 fible to imagine that God, after all this, 
 for juftifying his dealing towards them, 
 and to convince them of their wicked- 
 jiefs, fliould fay, that he had not given 
 them a heart to perceive his defigns, nor 
 eyes, nor ears to confider them. He had 
 told them juft before, and repeats it 
 throughout the reft of the Chapter, that 
 they had been Eye-witnefsofhis Signs 
 and miracles, and 'tis upon this he fonds 
 theheinioufnefs of their Crime the Juftice 
 of his dealing, and theexcefs of his good- 
 nefs. Should not all thefe confiderati- 
 ons than have opened the Tranflators 
 Eyes, and let them fee, that they made 
 
 God 
 
I 97 ] 
 God fpeak a fal iven Sin 
 
 ners a fetal occafion of I g in their 
 
 fins ? Had ic not been ; i re re< • 
 
 fonable for them, to have confefs'd 
 that they did ;- 
 
 ing of this Verfe, Hate i af- 
 
 ter a manner which excu . r- 
 
 rupc ii. utcis, and o the 
 
 Wicked ro Blaipheme a i Go$l, ;>s 
 agaiiiit a Tyrant, who would require of 
 his fubjedls tl y fhould uncleriland 
 
 his Will without :he leaft 
 
 declaration of it, . cu\l\ afterwards 
 
 puniih them with the m< ft rigorous pu- 
 nifhments, for not having pur his Will 
 in execution, tho' he ucn\ y d them all 
 poflibility of attaining to jhc leaft know- 
 ledge of it. 
 
 It is true indeed, that the Phrafe in 
 'the Original docs admit of luch a Ttan- 
 flation, and if the Tranflators had. been 
 ignorant that it could be renderd other- 
 wife, they might be lomewhat excufa- 
 blc. Buc it muft be unaccountable 
 ftilfncts to keep that fignification in this 
 place, after that fcveral learned Men have 
 obferved that it may be taken inurro 
 gatively, which equals the lbongeit af- 
 firmation. For this meaning anhvers ( - > 
 exacftly to what goes before And after, 
 H b to 
 
[98 ] 
 to the dcfign of the Spirit of God, in 
 reproaching the Israelites for their Infi- 
 delity and hardnels of heart, in fpi'te of 
 the mod efficacious means he had im- 
 ployed for their amendment. We mud 
 therefore reform all the Verfions in this 
 place, and fay with 'Mojes: Hath not 
 God given y on a He.rt to perceive, and 
 Eyes to fee, and Pars to h f .ar > 
 
 IV. There is fcarre any Perfon that 
 can without aftonifhment Read what 
 the Tranfla ions make jefus Chrift, and" 
 his Apoftles to lay. That theyjpake to the 
 Jews in parables, that feeing they mi r t jee, 
 and not perceive, and hearing they might 
 hear, and not understand, left at any time 
 they Jhould be converted, and their Sins 
 [houd he forgiven them, becavfe Haiahjaid, 
 He hath Hinder! their Eyes, and harden d 
 then hearts, that they ft odd not jee with 
 their Eyes nor under jiand with their Heart, 
 and he converted, and I fl: on Id lea > them. 
 Iconfefs I can by no means be reconci- 
 led to this way of rendring the words 
 of the Original, and that for the fol- 
 lowing realons. 
 
 [. becaizle it gives them a meaning 
 
 which is quire npofite to the nature and 
 
 defign of a Parable. All thofe that have 
 
 . writ concerning this Nature of a Para- 
 
 * ble 
 
[99 ] 
 ble, do agree, that it isa plain and Cm 
 pie way of fpeaking proportion^ toch 
 Understanding of Pertom of the n cai id 
 
 Capacity; that it is an hxample or 
 Ct mparifon, borrow'd from what the 
 mod ignorant do underftand, to explain 
 ibmething chat mighthave L< me difficul- 
 ty in it\ Now it look- dd, chat 
 our Saviour (hould f] the n uki- 
 tudc in Parables, /. f. in a plain ana fa- 
 miliar way, that the;, mightnoi perceive 
 or underhand him. 1 he true way n^c 
 to be underftoou by them, was toipeak 
 to them i.i M\ ftcries : But the I ext tells 
 us, that for this veryreaion he did not 
 fpeak to them of Myft ries s as he did to 
 the Difciples but by Parak 
 
 But Secondly, This Tranflation is 
 contraiy to the defign of Chrift's coning 
 into the World, and the defign of his 
 continuing fo long in it, which was in 
 a great mcafurc to reform Mankind, and 
 make them wifer and better : To teach 
 all Men to deny Ukgodlinefs and worldly 
 hujls y and to live Soberly and Right eoufly 
 and Godly in this pre fent Wo^ld. He went 
 about always doing good) endeavouring by 
 his ftupendious miracles, by his holy 
 Life, and heavenly Dodfrine, to turri 
 Men from their wicked ways, and put 
 Hh i them 
 
[ ioo ] 
 them in the way that leads to eternal 
 Happinefs, not I ting willing that anyfhould 
 perifhj hut that all jhould come to the know- 
 ledge cf the truth. And as he defign'd 
 the good of Mankind in generai, fo in a 
 moll particular manner he defign'd the 
 good of the Jewifh Nation, of the loft 
 Sheep of Ifiael, whom thole words of /- 
 faiah do fpecially concern; Among them 
 he liv'd, to them he preached, before 
 them he wrought many mighty Works,* 
 at the fight of their approaching ruin he 
 wept: For them, after they had rejected 
 all his Calls and Invitations, and when 
 they were putting him to death, and trea- 
 ting him with all the indignities and in- 
 juries that their malice could invent, or 
 their power inflidt; At this very time; in 
 thefe fad circutnftances, for them he prays. 
 To them he firft fent his Apoftles, who 
 did not turn the way of the Gentiles till 
 they had prov'd altogether obftinate and 
 imcurable. Now how is it poffible for any 
 to imagine that he could have a defign to 
 blind and harden them, for whom he 
 had done and fuffered fo much ? Indeed 
 if this had been true, they might with 
 good reafon, expoftulate with God, as 
 our Tranflations make their Forefathers 
 to do'. If. 63. 17. Lord) why haft thou 
 
 made 
 
[ ioi J 
 made us to err from thy ways, fold harden* d 
 cur hearts from thy Fear. At fuch Divi- 
 nity 1 (hake and tremble ! Some Mulofo- 
 phcrs indeed have taken plcalisre to cx- 
 prefs thcmtclves obilurcly, as Heraclktus 
 did in his Theology, to hide the My fie- 
 ri cs of it from a ilupid and unpolifh'd 
 People, whom he thought as unworthy 
 as uncapable to underftand them. The 
 "Pythagoreans ufed their Symbols with the 
 lame end. The Platonijh and Egyptians 
 had no other dilign in their Hyerogly* 
 fhich ; and Arijiotle allured Alexander 
 the Great that he writ his Acromaticks 
 after kich an obfeure manner, that by 
 publishing of them there was no fear 
 they fliould become common. And the 
 Poets invented the molt of their Fables, 
 to conceal iome Truths which they did 
 not think fit to be rcveal'd to the Vul- 
 gar. But fir be it from us to attribute 
 any fuch dcfig:i to the Saviour of the 
 World, who was no refpedfcer of Pcribns, 
 who did calculate his Doctrines to all ca- 
 pacities, bccaulc he would have all to be 
 fav'd, and become a propitiation for the 
 Sins of the whole World. 
 
 It had been very natural after thelc re- 
 marks, which are unqueftionably true to 
 have fought for a li unification of the 
 H h j Greek 
 
[ 102 ] 
 
 winch is not contrary to 
 
 Parables, or the defign of 
 
 All Interpreters do ao 
 
 that it frequently fignifies yet 
 
 , ana chen it only regards the event 
 and coafequence. And thas it muft be 
 taken 1 & r . 14. 13 where, what our 
 Traofla tours lay, Wherefore let him that 
 jp' (ks in <m unknown Tongue, pray that he 
 
 may interpret, fhould be render' d 
 
 •pray yet jo as that he do interpret; unlefs 
 we fhould think that they to whom God 
 gave the Gift ot Tongues, did not un- 
 derftand them, and knew not what they 
 faid. This particle is alio taken in the 
 fame lenfe, vetfe 31. where we fhould 
 tranfflare: For ye may all prophecy one by 
 one, yet fo as that all may learn; for the 
 plain meaning is, that they might pro- 
 phecy one by one, providing they took 
 care to avoid the confnfion, that might 
 arife f*om fuch a promifcuous way of 
 i peaking. Nor can this Particle well 
 admit of 'another Senfe,5^&» 7. 23. which 
 fhould be render'd, If a Man on the Sal- 
 bath day rcceiv e Circumcifion , yet fo as not 
 to break the Law of Mofes, &c. 2ts Heinfi- 
 w has obferv'd, and as is evident to any 
 that confiders our Saviour's defign in 
 that place. We may therefore realona- 
 
[ io 3 ] 
 bly tranflate — yet » as feeh 
 and not perceive; < nd hearing t \ > } h.tt 
 not undtrlian \ qhe meaning of which 
 is, that tho' our Sas iour fpoke to them 
 if] the moft plain and intelligible man- 
 ner, yet, they were fo ftupid, as not to 
 perceive nor underftand him. But the 
 fa. fjgnifies alio H cauje, and in this 
 Swiife too. it may be realbnably taken 
 h re, as appears from St. Matthew, who 
 uLs the word vn where the other E- 
 vangeltfts nave w*, therefore /peak I to 
 them in Paral es, faith St. Matthew Be- 
 iaufe thev feein not, and bearing hear 
 
 not, nor do thi } erliand, the natural 
 
 import of which is, That the Jews by 
 real onpof their prejudices, not being ca- 
 pable to underftand high things. Our 
 blcfied Saviour oat of Love lo thei 
 Sou!s, accommodates hiinfelf to their ca- 
 pacities by fpeaking to them in Parables. 
 But aj tis it may be objected, that 
 
 when the Difciples asked our Saviour 
 why he (poke to the multitude in Para- 
 bles, he aniwers, Beca wu it isgiv-M*r*. 13. 
 en fo 
 
 Heaven, t : Tnat 
 
 the Difciples underftand lomcofLukes.9. 
 
 the parables; and that 'tis (aid, that wlv:n 
 Jcliis was aiom s to Mi 
 
[ 104 ] * 
 
 his Difciples. New to begin with the 
 la!' of thefe : By our Saviour's explaining 
 ali things to his Diiciples, when he was 
 aione, we may underiland, that he not 
 only targht them in publick with the 
 Multitude, but iikewiie inftrudted them 
 in private, in his Doctrine; enlarged on 
 the meaning of the Parables, which he 
 had before in fome meafure explain d and 
 apply ef and fometimes only barely pro- 
 pofed before the Multitude; and likewife 
 inform'd them of feveral other things 
 which were neither nectflary nor con- 
 venient to be known by the Multitude 
 at that time, fo rhat this expreffion, do's 
 not in the lead imply, that his Parables 
 were aark and ebfeure, and that by fpea- 
 king- to the Multitude in them, he had a 
 defign to conceal any truth, which w r as 
 necemry to be known by them, but on- 
 ly, that he made a fuller difcovery of 
 his Doctrine to his Difciples, than to the 
 Multitude, becaufe his Difciples were 
 more difpos'd to receive it, and were af- 
 terwards i<* be the Preachers of it, and to 
 feal the Trudi of it with their Blood. 
 Nor. 2. is it any proof of the obicurity 
 of our Saviour's Parables, that the Dif- 
 ciples did not underftand fome of them : 
 For tho' their Heart was ftrong, their 
 
 Head 
 
[ ioj ] 
 Head was weak: I mean, that tbo' they 
 were honed and finccrc, and piouflydif- 
 pos'd, yet their capacity was but low, 
 and their apprehenfion but dull, and 
 they were often at a lofs in things which 
 had no great difficulty, of which their 
 not underftanding the Parable of the 
 .Sower, fcems to be an indance, for which 
 our Sa\iour upbraids them faying, Know 
 ye not this Parable, And hew then will 
 ye know all Parables ? And 3. In anlwer 
 to the fird difficulty proposed, wc are to 
 confider that the words of St. Matthew 
 may very well be rendered thus: Becaufe 
 to you is qjven to know the Kingdom of 
 Heaven in Myfleries : Bui to them it is not 
 given to know it in Myfleries, but in Para- 
 bles: That is, I fpeak the Truths of the 
 Gofpel to you in a proper and 1 pi ritual 
 dile, becaufe you are difpos'd to under- 
 dand them, being lb delivered; but I 
 mud borrow Metaphors and Similitudes 
 from temporal and bodily things, to make 
 them receive my words, and to bring 
 them up, by degrees, to the widerdand- 
 ing of the Spirit and iubftance of my 
 Do&rinc. And that this is the true 
 meaning of the words, is evident from 
 St. Luke 8. 10. where 'lis laid fo you 
 is given to know th: MyfteritS 0) l the King- 
 dom 
 
[ io6] 
 
 dom of God, but to others in P 'arables , 
 whore there is a plain oppofition be- 
 tween M/fteries and Payables; and yet 
 jnore clearly from Mark 4. 14. 3 3. And 
 with many juch Parables he /poke the word 
 to them as the) were ah it hear, that 
 
 * is faith Sam, Clark, in fuch a way as 
 ' was beft iliited to their Capacity, moll 
 
 * taking with them, and moil profitable 
 
 * fur them, and the fame S. Cla-k on 
 1 VLark 3.13. obierves, That Parables are 
 c Examples or Comparifons taken from 
 ' things known and familiar. 
 
 As for the ExpreflTion of God's hard- 
 ning their hearts, it has been obierved in 
 already ; That it onl) fignifies a per- 
 million on God's part, and that the A- 
 cftion is properly to be afenbed to the 
 Perfons themfelves, and therefore we 
 find that St. Matthew renders the words 
 thus, For this peoples heart is waxed grofs, 
 and their ears are dulLof hearings and their 
 eyes they have clojed. It has like wife 
 been obferved, that a Perfon is iome- 
 times laid to do a thing, when the mean- 
 ing is, that the thing is done already, 
 or will be done by them who are capa- 
 ble of doing it. But we muft remark 
 further, that this kardn'tng does not in- 
 fer a neceffity of doing evil, as appears 
 
 from 
 
[ io7] 
 
 from what, the Apoftle plainly declares 
 concerning the Idolatrous H lens, and 
 flitl-ncckcd Jews. Ot the Heathens be 
 
 lays, Rom. r. 2.4. That God ^a:e rljpw up 
 to the lulls of their own hearts, and Mto 
 'vile aff €& ions, and to a reprobate mind ; and 
 yet he lent unto them the offers of the 
 Gofpel, and open'd unco them the door 
 of Grace, at which likcWife a great ma- 
 ny of them did foon enter. Of .he 
 Jews he fays, Pom. 9, 10, 1 1, Chapters; 
 as alio our Saviour, John n. 40. That 
 God had blinded their Eyes, and hardned 
 their Hearts, and given them the Spirit 
 of (lumber, and yet he uled all endea- 
 vours to convert and fave them, and fe- 
 veral of them were actually converted. 
 And it is very remarkable, that tho' it 
 befaid, John 12. 39. that ^/ry could not he- 
 lieve that yet Verlc 42. it is faid. Never- 
 fs among the chief Rulers aljo many he- 
 d on him. From whence it is evi- 
 dent, that the lmpo/Tibility fpoken of 
 Verfe 39. was nor abfolute, and thai their 
 hardfiing did not infer a neceflity of Sin- 
 ing 
 
 It cannot be reafonably denied, but 
 that the moft part of thefe Texts fhould 
 be better tranflated after the manner I 
 have mentioned, and but that they ihould 
 
 exprefs 
 
[ io8 ] 
 cxprefs the meaning of th& facred Au- 
 thors more clearly being fo rendred. 
 Moft men are fo corrupt that we can- 
 not be too cautious in removing from 
 them all occafions of thinking thar they 
 cannot abftain from evil, and that they 
 cannot do good, tho' they fliould wi(h 
 to do it : As if God had not given to all 
 Men reafon proportionable to their cir- 
 cumftances m which he has placed them, 
 or, as if they wanted warnings and in- 
 couragemencs to excite them to their Du- 
 - ty, or in fine, as if God did refufe his 
 Grace to thofe who fenoufly ask it, and 
 refolve to make good ufe of it! But Self- 
 Love is fo ftrong and powerful, that 
 Men love rather to lay the blame of 
 their hardnefs and diLbedience upon 
 God, or upon I don't know what, af- 
 fected and voluntary impotentcy of o- 
 beying him, than to give him the Glo- 
 ry and to acknowledge that they them- 
 felves are the only caufe of their Sin and 
 Mifery. 
 
 Jnnotation on Chap. V. 
 
 / n See Gen. 20. 7. and 41. 18, and 4 j. 18. 
 * *' ^ Deut. 32. 50. Pfa. 37. 27. Prov. 3. 4. and 
 4. IJa. 54, 14. John z. 19. and 13. 17. 
 
 Sge 
 
[ 109 ] 
 
 See the firft part of this EfTay, Chap. ( z. ) 
 10. Pag 163. para. 9. fig. i4and 15. 
 
 See Gregor. de Valent. Iracl. de fi- (3.) 
 de D. 1. cL 3. p. 2. Ad. 3, in Thorn. 
 2. />. 107. /\ Martyr, ad 2 /*w«g. 5. 
 Za-fich. T. 4. /. 1. C. 17. G. II. ^4- 
 /r/. /. />. 729. /?ii/tf 71 2. in Pfal 16. 
 f. 49. 
 
 See Walther. Cent. Mijcel 1 1. 6. /. 102. (*■ ) 
 Dorjch. Theol. p. 1. C. 6. Danhaver. Theol. 
 Confi. T. \.p. 6 j 2 ££ CW. dfc CW. />. 397. 
 (f? Lot. Catecb. p. 3. />. 440. Dilher. 
 P'/fp. 16. and 22. />. 476. and 747. 
 77;//. Medal. p. 436. Saulert, &c. • ^ 
 
 Fat alius and feveral other have re- 
 mark'd, that the Hebrew Conjun&ion 
 and particle ve/o y mufl be taken inter- 
 rogatively in this and feveral other 
 places of Scripture : See part. I. of this 
 EfTay, Chap 9. Paragraph. I. Pag. 128. 
 Fig. F. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
t no ] 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Some Texts relating to the Jujlice and 
 Goodnefs of God clear d and explain d. 
 
 IT is certain that there is no lefs dan- 
 ger in throwing weak and fcrupulous 
 Perfons into defpair, than there is in o- 
 pening a Door to Libertinifm : For which 
 reaion we can't be too cautious in keep- 
 ing a juft mean between theie two 
 extremes. It were tedious to infift 
 upon all the faults of Tranflations, with 
 refpedt to this matter; I fhall therefore 
 only let down fome of the moft impor- 
 tant and remarkable of them. 
 
 I. The Curie which our Saviour pro- 
 nounc'd againft the Fig-Tree, with the 
 Reafons annexd to it, as the Tranflati- 
 ons render'd it has always lcem'd unac- 
 countable to all thinking Men, and alto- 
 gether incompatible with the Goodnels 
 of God. And feeing a Fig-free a jar of 
 having Leaves, x he cawe, if haply he 
 might find any thing thereon : And 1 when 
 'he came to it y he found nothing hut Leaves ; 
 for the time of Figs was not jet. And Je- 
 
 fus 
 
[ III ] 
 
 fus an/were J, and faid unto it : Let no Man 
 
 eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever, Mark 1 1. 
 i j. But this obfairity and icandal is ow ing £ -™ r - Sacr > 
 to the ignorance or carelcisncfs of the " 
 Tranllators. For as the Learned Hein- 
 fins has obferv'd after the Saxon Vcrfion, 
 they fhould havcTranflated, For where he 
 was, it was the time of Figs, as is likewife 
 clear from the confideration of the whole 
 Story. This Fig-Tree where our Saviour 
 did look for Fruit, did manifeftly repre- 
 ient the Jews, ^among whom he might 
 have expected ibme Fruits of Piety and 
 Holinefs, they having wanted neither 
 means nor motives to convince them of 
 their Folly, and to bring them to a better 
 mind. For befides the Inflru&ions they 
 received in their Synagogues, God fent 
 them John the Baptift, as another Eli as 
 to declare to them, that unlets they 
 brought fortli Fruit meet for repentance, 
 the Ax was laid to the Root of the Tree 
 to cur it down, that it might be thrown 
 into the Fire, and at length Jefus Chrifl 
 prefs'd them to repentance by his Do- 
 ctrine, by his Example and Miracles, 
 ba k d with the molt fearful Threatnings 
 of utter Definition and Ruin. So that 
 there was nothing more juft, than the 
 Curie that was pronounced againft this 
 
 Fig-Tree, 
 
[ Hi ] 
 
 Fig-Tree, againft the Jewifli Nation. 
 II. One can fcarce read, without ter- 
 rcmr, and without conceiving ftrange No- 
 tions of God, whom the Scripture every 
 where reprelents fo good,io indulgent, 
 andfo merciful, what the Tranflators lay, 
 Matt, i z . 3 6 . That every idle word Men flail 
 fpeak^hey fhaRgive account thereof in the day 
 of Judgment. This indeed is capable to 
 throw the mod pious Man into defpair, 
 fince he can't but be confeious to himfelf of , 
 having fpoken multitudes of idle words, 
 and fince it is abfolutcJy irhpoiTible to avoid 
 fpeakingofa great many things which are 
 of no ufe or advantage. It is truly to be la- 
 mented as has been obfervM already in the 
 firft Part of this Effay, that of feveral 
 vSenfes, which the terms of the Original 
 do admit, Tranflarors feem to have con-' 
 fpir'd together to chufe that which is leaft 
 probable, and that which is dired:iy con- 
 trary to the nature of Religion,^ and of 
 the Gofpel, which is the Law of Charity 
 and Hoiinefs- v There is none who has 
 the lead knowledge of the ftile of the 
 Hebrew and Greek, but knows that the 
 (,.) word which is rendered idle, do's like- 
 wife fignify wicked, falfe or hurtful. The 
 Septuagint imploys it frequently in this 
 fenfe, translating the Hebrew word which 
 
 tfgnifies 
 
f "3 ] 
 
 fignifies Falfhoodor Lying, by the Greek 
 word which is in queflion. The Laci 
 ajfo imploy the word which fignifies un- 
 profitable tocxprels a thing that is penu- 
 rious and hurtful, and 'tis not to be doub- ( z ) 
 red butit is in this fenfe that /do/satc cal- 
 led Inanities, and the works oj da are 
 
 called unfruitful, I j. i >. £/^ 5*. 1 1. 
 
 The Jews alio make ulc of a word which 
 they commonly translate. } ight otincon(tant % 
 but is always to be undcrftocd of a tight- 
 nefi ozinconftancy, whichis attended with 
 wickednefs. Twas a Proverb among 
 the Rabbles, that the Spirit of God >;ever 
 rejides in a light head nor with idle words, 
 by which they underftarid that wicked 
 thoughts and words do banilh away God's 
 Spirit. They fay, that a Man ought not 
 to pronounce indecent words in the pre fence 
 ofhisWi \ i he Jball he condemn' A 
 
 (or having :■$ d Ught ( that is unchaji ) dif- 
 courfetoher. And they remark farther,that 
 by idle words or idlcDifcourlewc arc not (3.) 
 tounderfland aDitcourfe and words which 
 ierve for nothing, but only ilich as can- 
 not be heard without offending God, and 
 at which a good Man mufl (lop his Ears, 
 which is a cuftom they obferve when 
 they hear Blafphemy. Tis in this fenfe 
 that Solomon prays God, as it is in the 
 I it Original 
 
[ H4 1 
 
 Original, to remove far from him Idle DiJ* 
 courje, Pro v. 30. 8. and when God for- 
 bids to take his Name in vain, 'tis clear 
 that he forbids the Blafpheming of it. 
 
 It is evident therefore that the words 
 fhouid be render'd, That every falfe or 
 pernicious word that Me a /hall /peak they 
 j7?afJ give account thereof in the day of Judg- 
 ment: And in this there is nothing but 
 what is moft worthy of the Wifdom and 
 Juftice, nay and even of the Good- 
 nefs of God But it is to be obferv'd 
 further, riiac forne Manufcripts have a 
 word which always UgniRe$lVkked y and 
 I don't fee why this Reading fhouid not 
 have beers preferred to the other, fince it 
 is plain from the thread of our Saviours 
 Bi&outie^ that he ipoke of the Bia(phe* 
 my of the incredulous Jews, againft the 
 Holy Ghofi Whoever defires to be 
 more fully com-incd of this, may con- 
 frtlt Hamoxds Annotations and A. Meats 
 and Kegthens recsarks on the New Tefia* 
 meat. 
 
 IflL The Verfions lay: That when ive 
 
 that Gad comma&deA we Jbmld 
 
 ± ^ • : * maprofif&l ' Servants* From 
 
 rtms conclude that it is ia 
 
 va Mea to trouble diemiHvcs a- 
 
 ix 1 Duri.es qi Religion , &ace afcer all 
 
 thd* 
 
[ »$ 1 
 
 their pains and labour they can do iio- 
 rhing chat's uicful or profitable. But 
 the biamc of this is to be laid en the 
 Tranflators, who have committed two 
 confiderablc faults in rendering thole 
 words. For, firft the word Servant is 
 too general, and doth not properly 
 enough expfefs the word which is in the 
 Original. The ScripttttS plainly dikin- 
 guiflics two fonts of Servants, one of 
 which were abfolutely Slaves, and of 
 iuch this Text fpcaks : The other fore 
 were on Wages and ferved for Hire, and 
 don't come under our prefent confidera- 
 tion. For which caufe we ought almoffc 
 always ro iinploy the word Slave inllead 
 of that oiServant, which th^ Tranflators 
 have afledtedg but do's net iuificier.tly 
 exprefs the Quality cfWic Perlbns they 
 fpeak of. The other fault of the Verfions 
 of this Text is. in the word unprofitable. 
 For this figmfckation of the Greek word 
 can't have place here, bccaule it would 
 make the Text an evident fallhood, what- 
 ever way we take it. Shall wc lay with" 
 Venerable Bcde <le Lyra, &c. that they 
 who fhbuld exactly obey the Command- 
 ments of God fhould be unp orttable 
 Servants; bccaule they had added no- 
 ttring to his Greatncfs of Dominion ? But 
 . It x befidesf 
 
[ n6] 
 
 befides that this unprofitableness fh6uld 
 be the neceffary Confequence of the 
 Greatneis of God, and his independen- 
 cy of all created things, and io could 
 not be charg'd on thoie Slaves, becaufe 
 tis fuppofed they had done their Duty : 
 Befides that I fay, This is dire&ly con- 
 trary to the Parable whence Jefets Chriji 
 draws this Conclufion. For he fays of 
 luch a Slave : That he has plowed his 
 Mailers Field; That he has fed his Cat- 
 tel : That he has made ready his Supper, 
 and lerv'd him till he had Eaten and 
 Drunken .And pray was all this Unpro- 
 fitable to the Matter, to whom our Sa- 
 viour compares God ? 
 
 In effect let Men be as Myftical as 
 they will, let them plunge themfelves 
 in Inanition ; if fllfey have but the leaft 
 Sincerity, they muft acknowledge that 
 the HolyScriptures give us other Notions 
 of Piety and Obedience than of a thing 
 of no value, or that contributes nothing 
 to the advancement of God's Glory : And 
 'tis dangerous Flypocrify, to imagine 
 that there is either Pride of preempti- 
 on in looking on the Execution of Gods 
 Commands, as a thing which he Loves, 
 and looks upon as very irfeful for theE- 
 ftablilhing of his Kingdom, and mani- 
 . * fefting 
 
[ »7 ] 
 
 felling of his Honour and Glory. Men 
 cover this fane a pretence of humi- 
 
 lity, aiul mod of the Ancients zsOrigen, 
 Cbrj \ &c. did believe 
 
 that I \ hich Jcfiis Chrift 
 
 makes - t ev.J: Obedience to 
 
 the i is tather a profc/fion 
 
 tmended to Chriftiaris* 
 than an Opinion which they ought to 
 haveoftl i :\iour, if they were 
 
 fo happy as to attain to the fuppos'd 
 perfc But how can this pretended 
 
 Mod. compatible with Sincerity, 
 
 the chief of Virtues, with true Modcfty 
 or with Humility, which Jo's not confift 
 in diffembling or denying the Truth, but 
 only in having juft and moderate thoughts 
 of ones Jelf? Indeed if thefc explicati- 
 ons did (land, then Chrift muft have 
 commanded his mod perfect Dilciplesto 
 be Hypocrites and Lyars. For thofe 
 that obey God, are not unprofitable to 
 him wkh-refpe&to his Glory, nor with 
 refpeel to his defigns; for thofe who 
 had improved the Talent he intruded 
 them with, receiv'd from i n mouth 
 
 the praiie of being y>od and i 
 
 Matt, 15-. ii, 2,3. and the Apoftle 
 
 tolls us, that if a Man purge himfclf 
 
 from iniquity, he fhall be a Vcilel unto 
 
 Ii 3 honour. 
 
[»8 ] 
 
 Honour, Sah&ified and meet for the Ma- 
 ilers ufe, and prepared unto every good 
 Work, xTiw. 2. 2,1. Nor are fuch Per- 
 fons unprofitable to themfelves, fince by 
 this means they efcape thofe chaftifements 
 and pnniihments which they rnuft una- 
 voidably have fallen under if they had 
 neglecled God's Will, and becaule they 
 pur themfelvefc in a Condition of obtain- 
 ing his favour and protection here, and an 
 infinift 2nd unfpeakable Happinefs here- 
 after. In a word, this Translation of the 
 Text infinitely degrades the Grace of God ? 
 under pretence of exalting it. What! The 
 grace of God, which is the principle which 
 enables us to fulfil theWill of God, muft it 
 ferve for no more but to put us in a condi- 
 tion to cpnfcfs ttut we are miferable flaves, 
 unprofitable to God and to our felves, 
 when we have obeyed all his Command- 
 ments ? What ftrange Divinity ! 
 
 Were it not then infinitely more natu- 
 ral and reafonable, to have recourfe to 
 the other fignification, which the Scrip- 
 ture it felf often gives to the word which 
 is rendcr'd unprofitable ? The Septuagint 
 makes ufe of it to Denote a Perfon who 
 ( 1;v is vile, ^bjedt and defpifed. Mical having 
 told David, that he had expofed himfelf 
 to the Contempt of his Courtiers by dan- 
 
 cing 
 
( "9 ] 
 
 cing before the Ark ; He AnfwerM, I will 
 yet be more vile, &c. where the fame 
 word is uicd, as in the Text in hand, and 
 there is nor the Icaft doubt, but they dc- 
 fign'd it to exprefs the true fignification 
 of the Hebrew word, which fignifies, That 
 which is mean \andier} litth ejieemd. Why 
 then (houkl we not render the words 
 
 thus. When you JhaUhctve done all that 
 
 is commanded you, fay we are his poor, 
 weak Slaves, or we are' bh who are 
 
 defpijed, ive haze done that which was our 
 duty to do, after the Learn'd Heinjiiu who ( >•) 
 can't be fufpe&ed of prejudice on this 
 head? This Tranfjacion would put an end 
 to the feveraJ pa/lionate Difputes which 
 have happen'd on this ilibjccl, without 
 the lcaft Injury to Truth or Piety. 
 
 IV. The learned Bochart could not with- 
 out horrour read, what the Vcriions make 
 the vScripture fay, i Sam. 6. 19. Xbat Cod 
 fmote fifty thoujand and threefcore and ten 
 Men of the Inhabit Bethlhemcfh, be* 
 
 cauje they had loo For 
 
 he could not imagine that God who is 
 Goodncls it felf, could have made fuch 
 Slaughter of thole who received the Ark 
 with Joy at its return, and oflerd feveral 
 Sacrifices to God on that Account. 
 Befides he could not conceive that the 
 I i -j aid 
 
[ 120 ] 
 
 could have been fuch a multitude of Peo- 
 ple in a Village on the Borders oijudea. 
 Thefe confiderations inclin'd him to fol- 
 low the Opinion of jofephus who fays, 
 that God only fmote feventy Men, and 
 'he proves that the Text lays, no other 
 thing, and that it fhould be Tranflated : 
 And he fmote threefcore and ten Men of 
 the People of Ecthjhemejh, viz. Fifty 
 Men of a thoufand which anfvvers exact- 
 ly to the Hebrew : And he ihews that it 
 is not ufual in the Hebrew Tongue, to 
 make the Thoufand s to go before Inferior 
 Numbers for making up a Total Sum, 
 but that they conftantly begin with the 
 lefler number and end with the greater, 
 , r j as St. Jerome has likewiieobferv'd lnfpe;- 
 ^ kingof Daniel's feventy Weeks. 
 
 Annotations on Chap VI. 
 
 r \ As Ex<j£*5* 9. Hofeah 12. 1. Mkah 1. 
 
 14. Hahak. *". 3. Zeph. 3. 13. 
 (2.) Velleius Yaterculus fays, that Chains 
 was affaffinated, exemplo inutjli, facio Ja<- 
 lutari. lib. 2. 
 
 Vel nos in mare froximum 
 Gemmas & lapides aurum & inutile, 
 Summi materiam mali, 
 Mittamus. Horai, Carm. /. 3. Ode 24. 
 
 And 
 
[ 1*1 ] 
 
 And Cicero and Titus Livius make 
 ufe of the word Inutile in the lame lcnlc, 
 calling a pernicious Citizen, Civem inn* 
 tilem. 
 
 R. Jona y I . Timor 1$, Gemora ad Ccte- ( $.) 
 moth. 
 
 The Septuagint x. Sam. 6. n. Render < 4- / 
 the Hebrew word Schephel^ which fi^ni- 
 fies a thing that means bv the Greek word 
 Achreios, and Ezek. 17. 6. by Mihos^it- 
 tie, and £zr& 17. 4. by A/tbene^ infirme 
 cr weak* Hence the Hebrew words 
 Miphloth and Schephel, fignify a mean 
 condition y and a thing tbafs weak. 
 
 rercitat. S. lib. 3. pag. 171. ad Ijac. r . \ 
 17. 10. 
 
 Atec *w ( inquiunc pnici Judai ) mo* ( £•) 
 veat s quod primum numerentur Sept em 
 Heldomadu:, & pojiea Sex agin tee dine & 
 pojlea una, qua: in du as partes dividiiur : Eft 
 enim hoc Idiokiajermonis UeLraici, & antu 
 quorum Jermonis Latin/, ut ante minorem 
 numerum jupputent & pojiea major em. Verhi 
 gratia, nos 'Juxta Proprietatem Lingua 
 noil r a: dicimtiSj Abraham vixit annis cen- 
 tum Septuagint a quinque % iiU c contrario 
 loquuntur ; Abraham vh e & J 
 
 Septuagint a C£>* Centum. i. c. Nor are wc 
 troubled, to find that (even Weeks are 
 firft mention'd, and then fixty two, and 
 
 then 
 
[ I" J 
 
 one which is divided in two parts, 
 'cis rhe Uv n of die Hebrew Tongue, 
 nr>u kkewife 6f the Latin in rhe moft 
 Ancient Writers of u, to name the lefler 
 number firft, and afterwards the greater* 
 For Example, we fay now according to 
 the Propriety of our Speech, Abraham 
 Lived One Hundred Seventy and Five 
 Years : They on the contrary faid Abra- 
 ham Lived Five Years and Seventy 
 and an Hundred. Hieron* in Dan, 
 Hek 
 
 C H A P. VII. 
 
 Several feeming Contradictions %e£ii- 
 fed, 
 
 I. H HE Verfions make Our Saviour, 
 JL Matt. 6. 8. command his Apo- 
 ftles to take nothing for their Journey jave 
 a Staff only, whereas Matt. 10. 10. they 
 are forbid to take a Staff. Our Tranfla- 
 tors to refolve this difficulty render Staves 
 in the plural Number as if they were on- 
 ly forbid to carry more than one Staff. 
 But this Tranflation is contrary to the 
 word in the Original, which -is in the 
 
 Singular 
 
I 1*3 1 
 
 Singular Numler, and fignifies only one 
 Staff. It is true indeed, that St. Luke 
 9. 3. in our Greek Tcftamenrs, this word 
 is in the Vlural tJumler, but iuch of 
 them as have Marginal Notes, mark it 
 in the Singular Number^ on the Margin, 
 to fhew that it is io read in ibmc Copies. 
 But fuppofe we fhould read that the A- 
 poftlcs were forbid to take Staves t yet 
 the meaning mud be, that none of them 
 was to have a Staff, or elfe we muft fup- 
 pofe, that they were forbid to have any 
 more than one Staff a piece; or mac 
 than one Staff between them all. But 
 what fcrvicc could one Staff do them all, 
 tho' they were to go one way, but es- 
 pecially fincc they wc::to be fcparated? 
 And more Staves than one apiece would 
 only be troublcfome to them. So that 
 fuch a prohibition as this would be altoge- 
 ther iupcrfkious. In a word, the Gramma- 
 tical fenfe of St. Luke in iomc Copies, and 
 of St. Matthew in all, and the plain and 
 natural meaning of the Evangclifts, what- 
 ever number the Greek word be off, is 
 contrary to that of St Mark t as render'd 
 by our Tranflators. But Heinfius has 
 obferv'd, that the Greek Particles which 
 we render by the wo: o.v/v, fhouid 
 
 be render'd, No not ; So that the words 
 
 of 
 
[ J H 1 
 
 of St. Mark muft run thus: And Comman- 
 ded that they Jhould take nothing for their 
 Journey, no not a Staff; which perfectly 
 agrees with the other Evangelifts. 
 
 II. Our Translation and that of Gene- 
 w, feem to reprefcnt Herod as a Prince 
 who refpefted John Baptift, and had a 
 great efteem for all that he faid, Mark 6. 
 10. Tho', in St. Matthew, and St. Luke, 
 he is reprefented as a wicked Wretch, 
 whom nothing but the fear of the People, 
 that look'd on John as a Prophet, did hin- 
 der to put him to Death, Matt. 14. 5. 
 Luke 3. 19. 20. But we are to confider 
 that the Greek word, which the Geneva 
 Verfion Tranflatcs to reverence, and Ours, 
 to ohjerve fignifies, to keep Prisoner or to 
 ohjerve with an ill defign. We muft con- 
 fider farther that R. Stephanas and Beza 
 had fome Greek Copies, wherein inftead 
 of the words which we render, He did 
 many things, there are w 7 ords which figni- 
 fy, He was much vexed, or troubled : 
 Which indeed much better reprefent the 
 Temper of that difTolute and wicked 
 Prince. Jofephus the Hiftcrian obferves, 
 that Herod, had put John the Baptift to 
 Death,becaufe he thought that the People 
 were altogether led by him, which is an 
 Argument that he did neither refped; him, 
 
 nor 
 
[ "5 ] 
 nor hear him gladly nor do many things 
 for love of him. This Text then mould 
 be thus Tranflated. For Herod fearedjohti, 
 that be was a J rjt Alan and a Ho- 
 ly, and be kept him / '.- or kepe a 
 watchful Eye over him, and having beared 
 bim he was mud. v/, tho % he heard 
 him peace u 
 
 IH. The Tranflations make St. Mat* 
 them and St. Luke con trad iQt one another 
 very grofly, in relating the Death of Ju- 
 d.a. The}' make the one lay, That he 
 17. 5. and the other, 
 That \ , burfl ajunder in the 
 
 mid,:. gujhed out. 
 
 has obliged Jntcrpre- 
 _o run to feveral Conjectures, equal- 
 ly 1. Some, 
 with , he hang'd 
 himftlfon •• hat the Branch 
 yielding and fallin j Ground, he 
 could ni \d therefore 
 fethi : again; but that afterwards 
 he fell into a Dropfy of he burfl: 
 and died. Others, with , on 
 
 , pretend, that 
 
 : when he was 
 
 hanging, cl 1 1 >k him do \ n and 1 
 
 him, but that afterward, he went to a 
 
 fecrct fteep place, whence he thruft 
 
 him- 
 
[ ii6] 
 
 iiimfelf headlong, and then fwel'd and 
 burft. Maldonat rejects thele Fables, to 
 make way for a no lefs foolifh and un- 
 certain Conje&ure of his own. He 
 pretends that Judas threw himfelf from 
 fome pla^e higher than his Gibbet, and 
 that the Rope having broke, he fell to 
 the Ground and burft, or that his Belly 
 fwefd, as it commonly happens to iuch 
 as dye in that manner, and that a little 
 after his Bowels burft out, Nor do they 
 fail to find a Type of this imaginary ac~ 
 cident of Judas, in the Pcrfon of Achito- 
 phel y who, as the Translations affirm, 
 did likewife hang himfelf, z Sam. 17, 
 
 But I. Some of the mod Learned Jewiffr 
 Doctors affirm chat Achitcphel did not 
 hang himfelf, but that he was ftifled to 
 death with grief,and it feems that theLXX 
 did not think the original word fignified a- 
 ny thing elfe fince they tranilate.it, by the . 
 fame word which St. Mat. makes ufe of 
 in fpeaking of the Death of Judas. It is 
 not probable that ]cb wifh'd 10 be bang'd 
 Job j. 15. whatever theVerfion fay, For 
 the Hebrew word he imploys flgnifies 
 properly Stiflirg. Nor is there any 
 appearance that Sara the Daughter of 
 Raguel^ would have (Iran gled her felf* 
 
[ I»? ] 
 
 When flic was reproached by her Fathers 
 Servants fob. }. 10. tho' She maltes uieof 
 the lame Word imploy'd by the 5/ Mugjfaf, 
 and St. Matthew in ipeaking of the Death 
 of Achitophel andJW^, ifince fuch adefign 
 is contrary to the truth of the Hiilory, 
 and that Piety which flic lhews in the 
 Verfes immediately following. Second- 
 ly, .411 that Salntafius lias collected from f * 
 the Greek Authors to prove that the ' 
 Greek word fignifies to hang, proves much 
 rather that it iignifies, to die of the Squi- 
 
 ■>cy or of Grief y as feveral Learned Men 
 •have fliewn. We mud therefore ren- 
 der the foreiaid Text of St. Matthew, Jol^ 
 Samuel and Tolit, Thus. And Judas efc 
 patted and went and Died o$ Griefs or of the 
 £fuinaney % My Soul chcojetb to ftifie with 
 
 6rief $ A*2 — Acbitophcl wasJUfled 
 
 with Grief. And Raguel w/fh'd to have 
 heenflifed with Grief, 
 
 But if the Tranflators have been mi- 
 ftaken in this circumftancc ot the Death 
 of ' Jtiddt, They have been no !cfs ib in 
 rendering, That down' ( or thrujl 
 
 hint-elf) headlong For the words of the 
 Original only fignify, that he fell on his 
 Face, a$ feveral Leatrtd Men have or> 
 ferv'xL And what St. Luke adds, That 
 I {I af under in the mdjt and that ). 
 
[ i*8 ] 
 
 Bowels £ttfl>d out, agrees very well with 
 what Phyficians obferve, that thofe who 
 dye of the Squinancy, fometimes burft 
 afunder. We muft therefore Tranflate, 
 And having fallen on his Face he lurjl a- 
 J under, &c. 
 
 IV. 1 he Tranflations make our Savi- 
 our fay of the Hypocrites, who found 
 a Trumpet when they give Alms, and 
 who love to pray Handing in the Syna- 
 gogue, that they may be feen of Men, 
 That they have their reward, Mat. 6. x. 
 5. 16. whereas in the firft verfe he plain- 
 ly fays, that they who do their Alms to 
 be feen of Men, have no reward. Its 
 true indeed, that Interpreters obferve ; 
 that thefe Hypocrites only receive their 
 reward from Men, and not from God. 
 But why iliould we run to a forc'd and 
 allegorical Senfe, which ftands in need 
 of a diltindtion to make it pafs, when 
 there is a clear and natural fenfe which 
 perfe&iy exprcffeS the Terms of the Ori- 
 ginal ? The word which we render by 
 the word have fignifies in the beft Au- 
 thors ro hinder or opp&fe, So that the 
 plain and natural Tranflation of our Sa- 
 viours words is this, Verily I fay unto you 
 the- ij/nder their reward; and we fhould 
 like wife render, woe unto you rich for you 
 
 hinder 
 
[ Ii9] 
 
 hinder your conjolation. Luke, 6. zq. as 
 Norton Knatchbull, has remark'd after the 
 sEthiopick Vcrfion. 
 
 V. Our Tranllations make our Savi- 
 our fay, To fit on my right Hand and on 
 my left, is not mine to give ', Eutitjhallbe 
 given to them for whom it is prepared of 
 my Father, Mate. io. 23. which plainly 
 contradicts fevcral other Texts of the 
 New Teftament, where our Saviour is 
 faid, To have all power given him loth in 
 Heaven and Earth, and to have all Judg- 
 ment committed to him by the Father, 
 &c. 
 
 Interpreters are at no fmall pains to 
 reconcile this, and to anfwer the Arn~ 
 cins y who from the Text under confideta- 
 tion, did conclude, that the Son was not 
 equal in power to the Father. Sc. A11- 
 llin affirms, that thefe words of our Sa- 
 viour,rclateonly to his Humane Nature. 
 Others lay, that they relate to the de- 
 fign of his coming to the World, which 
 was not, to diltribute Kingdoms and 
 Crowns, as the Mother of Zebedees Chil- 
 dren thought it was. But this do's not 
 anfwer the Qucftion. For (he did not 
 enquire by what power cither Divine or 
 Humane, nor by vertuc of what Office, 
 he (hould grant her the favour ihe defi- 
 K k red 
 
[ i3o] 
 red for her Sons, but only defir'd that the 
 favour might be grnred, as Hackjp^nhas 
 obferv'd. We mull therefore lock for 
 another Solution and obferve, That our 
 1 Saviour do's not fay absolutely, that it 
 tvas not his to give to fit on his Right Hand 
 and en his Left, as the Verfions feem to 
 imply, but only that he could not grant 
 that favour, or that it was not fit or 
 Reafonable to grant it,except to thole for 
 whom the Father had prepared it, That 
 is, to thole who fbou'ld overcome the World 
 and its Lufts. Rev. 3. 21. The Septua- 
 gint often tranflate the words of the Ori- 
 ( 4. ) ginal which Signifies, It is decent, reafon- 
 able or fit, and it is undecent, mreajona- 
 hie and unfit, by words which anfwer to 
 theft, *Tis thine, 'tis mine; and 'tis not 
 mine, 'tis not thine. And the Greek 
 word Alia fignifies, except, in feveral 
 £5'.' places of Scripture, not to mention that 
 the words it Jhall be given, are not in the 
 Original, but have been fupply'd by the 
 Translators to make up their miftaken 
 meaning. The words then fhould be 
 render'd, but to fit on my Right Hand and 
 on my Left I cannot give, except to thofie 
 for whom the father has prepaid it. 
 
 VI. One can fcarce, without having 
 forne extravagant notion, read, That the 
 
 Dificiplet 
 
fi3i J 
 Difciples hrought the Colt and the Afs^ 
 
 fit ' Mace. 21.7. Nor can 
 
 compare what is laid Matt. x6. 8. 
 and Mark 14. 4. thatfome were filed with 
 fnd?gxation y to find chat the Jews allowed 
 Mary Magdalen to wall io much precious 
 Ointment in anointing him, with what 
 is obferved, John n. 4. That only Ju- 
 das was offended at it, without fancy- 
 ing lomc Contradiction between the E- 
 vangelifts. The lame difficulty occurs 
 when we compare Matt. 27. 44. where 
 'tis laid, That the Thieves who were Cruci- 
 fied with J ejus caft the (awe in his Teeth, 
 with what we find, Luke 23.39. That 
 only one of the Thieves reviled him, and 
 that the other appeared in his defence. 
 
 It is true indeed, chat Commentators 
 reconcile thole teeming Contradictions 
 by (hewing, that the Plural r is 
 
 imploycd in thofe places for the Singular, 
 which is very common in the Stile of 
 the Hebrews. As for example, when 
 i: is faidj 
 
 ?. .p That is, on 
 one of th \s ; That Qodax 
 
 , Gen. 19. 
 i<;. 1 hat JcpllCll in ''.'J Ci 
 
 ind when a Colt is called the 
 
 t. Zach. 9.9. Several other 
 
 Kk 2 ex^m- 
 
[ 13^ 1 
 
 examples of this nature may be found 
 in Glaffius Grammat. S. F. 3. C. 17. But 
 were it not much more reafonable to 
 make thofe difficulties difappear in a 
 Tranflacion defign'd for the People, who 
 are Grangers tothefe Rules of Criticifm, 
 as our Tranflaaors have done in the two 
 laft of the foremention'd examples, than 
 to give Men occafion to have mean and 
 low Thoughts of the Scripture. Wemuft 
 therefore Tranflate, That the Difciples fet 
 Jejus on the Colt, That one of his Difciples 
 was filled with Indignation at Mary Mag- 
 dalen^ wafting fo much Ointment ; That 
 one of the Thieves who were Crucified with 
 him reviled him, &c. For the fame rea- 
 fbn we fhoulu Tranflate, Matt. 24. 3. 
 And as he fat on the Mount of Olives, one 
 of his Difciples came to him privately fay- 
 ing, &c. 
 
 VII. There are likewife fome Contra- 
 dictions to be found in the Original, 
 which have happen c by the Negligence 
 cf Translators. But then it is by no means 
 excufabJe to leave them in a Tranflati- 
 on. 
 
 All Interpreters are puzzled to Juftify 
 
 what all the prefent Copies make Ifaiah 
 
 foretell, Chap. 7. v. 8. And within three- 
 
 fcore and five years Ephraim fhall le broken, 
 
 that 
 
I *33 J 
 thai it he not a People. St. Jerom after 
 fome Rallies pretends that wc are to rake 
 the beginning of thefe years from the 
 prediction of Amos, or from the z$ year 
 of the Reign of Uzziah Kitig of Judal.\ to 
 the carrying away of the ten Tribes by 
 Salmanaftor, King of Ajjyria, which hap- 
 pened the ninth Year of the Reign of Uz- 
 ziah laft King of ffrac/j which makes ex- 
 actly thrcefcore and five Years- As if 
 Ifaiah would have laid, That Samaria 
 fliould be deflroyd, as Amos has foretold 
 fixty and five Years before that Captivi- 
 ty. But Ifaiah imploys the period of 
 time which he f peaks of, to denote pre- 
 cifely the time to come, and not the 
 time pad, and yet there were but eleven 
 years from Ifaiah* $ Prcdi cfrion to the De- 
 flation of the Kingdoms of IfiraeL This 
 made Grotius fay, That the Tranfcribers 
 had been miftaken, and writ Schejchim 
 in the Plural Number, which fignifies 
 Sixty for Scbefch, which fignifies but Six; 
 and Bochart obferves, that they have 
 committed the fame miltake in lbme o- 
 ther places of Scripture. So that fix 
 and five make up the Eleven years which 
 happen d from the Prophecy to its ac- 
 compliihmcnt. Or it may be laid that 
 the word Schejchim, in the Plural is ta- 
 K k 3 ken 
 
L x 34 1 
 
 ( 6.) ken for the Singular, which is ufual in 
 the Hebrew Langauge, as Criticks have 
 obferv'd. We muft therefore tranflate 
 with L. Cape Has and Gr otitis > within fix 
 and five Tears, or within Eleven Years 
 Ephraim fhall be broken to be no more a 
 People. 
 
 VIII. Tranfcribers muft neceffarily 
 have been miftaken, in what is laid of 
 Ahaziah, that he was two and forty Tears 
 old when he legan to Reign. For if this 
 had been true, Ahaziah muft have been 
 -born two Years before his Father, for in 
 is obferved at the end of the preceding 
 Chapter, that Joram his Father, was but 
 forty years old when he died. This cir- 
 cuniftance is likewile directly oppofite 
 to % Kings 8. x6. where it is plainly rnen- 
 tion'd, that Ahaziah was but two and twen- 
 ty Tears old when he began to Reign. The 
 
 ( j.) moft Learned Interpreters do acknow- 
 ledge, that this difficulty cannot be re- 
 foived without admitting of a fault in 
 the Tranfcribers. Some think that the 
 words fhould be render'd, That Ahaziah 
 Reigned to the Age of forty four Tears. But 
 this is plainly contrary to the Text ? 
 which fays, that Ahaziah was two and 
 forty old when he legan to Reign ; And is 
 likewife liable to feyeral other difficulties. 
 
 Others 
 
I t2S 1 
 Och. and & , think 
 that tfo . i if ears don't rehu \hazi* 
 ah b Igdom of Ijra.l, fincc it 
 fell I imily of Of»ri whence Aha- 
 zial. i ; Own having reign- 
 ed 1: ( ', 1 6. Zj. 
 
 and two Years, an 
 
 his & i twelve Years, which make in all 
 
 o Years, and that then Aha 
 I i to Reign. Nay 
 
 'Junius pretends that thefe 42 Years, re- 
 gard the Perfbn of Omri, and that we 
 fhould translate this verie, Whofe Mo- 
 ther was I her /i/Om- 
 ; old when Ahaziah his 
 Or an able 
 Arch-bifliop )Ufter thii ihould ren- 
 der it, whole Mother was ca Wi- 
 tf/>, ( the Daughter of Aged forty 
 two Years when faet Son . ■ began 
 to Reign. But this tranfpofition is plain- 
 ly fore'd, and cannot fatisfy the Mind. 
 Befides that xKh is 8.2.6. might be tranf- 
 pos'd after the fame mann< henthe 
 Kingdom of Ifrael mull have been only 
 11 Years, in the Family ( f mrr, or 
 Omn or Athaliah mult have been only 
 .ix Years Old when 6 began to 
 Reign. 
 
 K k 4 Ic 
 
[ i3«S 1 
 (8.) It feems then more reafonable to ac- 
 knowledge that rhere is a favlt crept into 
 the Text, by the Negligence of Trans- 
 cribers, who have writ 4Z Years inftead 
 ofz2. This Solution leeras to be the 
 mod probable, becaufe of the near refem- 
 blance which is between the numeral 
 Letters, by which thofe two numbers are 
 exprefled in the Hebrew; there being 
 nothing more eafy than to wrire Mem 
 Beth fotCaph Beth, the firft of which fig- 
 nify 42 and the fecond 21. The agree-: 
 ment of the Verfions makes alfo for this 
 Solution, the Septuagint in ieveral Co- 
 pies, as thofe of which Nobilius fpeaks, 
 the Manufcripts of Oxford and Carr>- 
 hridge, and of P. Junius, and that of Rorrg 
 corrected, and the Syr tack and Arabic k 
 Verfions do retain the number 22. The 
 Syriaci Bibles, which the Church of An- 
 tioch made uie of in the beginning of 
 Chriflianity, and which were not tranfla- 
 ted from the Septuagint y but from the pu- 
 reft Hebrew Text, of which the Learned 
 Ufher had a Copy tranferibed from that 
 pf the Patriarch of Antioch, retains alfo 
 the fame number. The Aralick Verfion 
 pf Antioch or of Mount Sinai, and that 
 pf Alexandria, agree likewife with the 
 former, as the famous Cornelius a Lapicle 
 
 was 
 
[ 137 1 
 
 was formerly aflur'd of at Rome, by Ser+ 
 giiis Rifius Jtfartmit*, Arch-bifliop of Da- 
 mafcus. However it be, thofc conjectures 
 and Explications fuppoie that the Ver- 
 fion of this Text wants to be corrected 
 whatever way we take it. The Hebrew 
 and Greek Texts have often been refor- 
 med upon lefs ibliJ. grounds* and if mod 
 Verfions have undertaken to tranflate a 
 word in St. James t which conflantly fig- 
 nifies to kill, by a word which fignifics to 
 envy,bychanging the Greek Verb Phoneu- 
 eteintopthoneJte y James q.i.againfl the ge- 
 neral conlent of a'! ManulcriptSjit may be 
 thought unreaf livable torejedt an amend- 
 ment which fecms lb vifibly ncccilary. 
 
 IX. For the lame reafon ionic Inter- 
 preters have thought, that there's a fault 
 crept into the Original by the negligence 
 of Tranfcribers, where 'tis faid that Solo- 
 mon had fourty thoufanel 'flails of Hoijes for 
 his Chariots , i Kings 4. 26. And that 
 the Philiftincs gathered t hem fe Ives together 
 to fight againf/ Iliracl With thirty thoujarul 
 Chariots 9 1 Sam. 13.5. Or that wemuft 
 Tanilatc Arhagnin and Schelifchim, which 
 arc of the Plural Number, and fignify 
 ellewhcre/tf/Yv and thirty as if they were 
 in the Singular, where they only figni- 
 fy four and three. For we find that £z«? 
 
1x38] 
 
 nr, relating the fame Hiftory mentions 1 
 only four thoufand ftalls ; and fuppofe that. ' 
 Solomon had four Horles to every Cha- 
 riot, (tho* Chariots of War confifteci 
 commonly of two ) every Horfe muft 
 at lead have had three or four Stalls ; he 
 having in all but a thoufand and four 
 hundred Chariots, i Kings 10 2(5. and 
 z Chron. 1.-14. But this is altogether im- 
 probable, and contrary to the common 
 Cuftom, which does not allow feveral 
 Stalls for one Horfe, but on the contra- 
 ry feveral Horfes for one Stall. 
 
 , \ Nor is it at all likely, that the Thu 
 liflins had Thirty Thoufand Chariots 
 of War, fince Ski/hack, who is thought 
 to have been the fame with Sefaftris, the 
 moft powerful of all the Kings of Egypt, 
 had but twelve hunder'd, z Chron. iz. 
 3. and fince Pharaobbad but fix hunder'd, 
 and all the other Princes whofe Equipage 
 is related in the Scripture much fewer, 
 
 ( io.j as ma y be feen in a great many places. 
 For which JReafon the Syriack and Arc* 
 lick Verfions have given the Fhiliftins 
 but three thoufand Chariots. To thofe 
 confiderations we may add, that the Ca- 
 valry was always more numerous than 
 the Chariots of War, and yet that they 
 had no more than fix thoufand Horfe- 
 men. X» \Ti$ 
 
I 
 
 [ 139] 
 
 X. Tis according to the fame princi- ( 1 
 pie, that lcvcral Learn'd Men have 
 thoughc, that we Ihould rectify, 1 Chrok. 
 19. 18. where us faid, that David put to 
 flight (even thoufand Chariots of the phi 
 lijtivs, fince wc find they were but feven 
 hundred Chariots, z. Saw: 10. 18. And 
 'tis for the like reafons that others have 
 thought, that the forty Years mention'd i 11 '' 
 I Saw. 15. 7. mull be reduced to four 
 Years only, which arc to be rcckon'd 
 from the time of Ahfeloms re-Ellablifh- 
 ment in the City of Jerujalcw, or from 
 
 his Reconciliation with his Father David, 
 to the time in which he asked leave to 
 go and pay his Vow. 
 
 XI. St. Stephen fays, that Ai 
 after the death of his Father, removed 
 from Qharan to the Land of Canaan^ A&s 
 7.4. and Gen. n. 4. its faid, That A- 
 Ira b am wasfeventy and five Tears Id 1 vh en 
 
 ! out of Charan, and Gen. 11, 
 16. 'tis laid that Terab was leventy years 
 old when he begot and \cr 
 
 3^. that he died being two hundred and 
 five years Old. But at this rate, Ter 
 mull have liv'd fixty Years after 
 
 ms gomg from Qharan. ror leventy 
 five, the number of Years 
 
 hen he left charan, being adtlcd to I 
 
 lty. 
 
[ M° 1 
 
 venty the number of Terahs Years when 
 he begot Abraham, make One Hunderd 
 and Forty five Years only, whereas 'tis 
 faid that he lived Two Hunder'd and 
 Five Years. Interprecers are ftrangely 
 puzzled to reconcile this, but 'tis more 
 natural to acknowledge with No*un 
 Knacthhuli that there is a fault crept in- 
 to the Text of Mofes, and that of the 
 Two Hunderd and Five Years, which 
 are given to Terah when he died at Cha- 
 ran, he only lived a Hundred and Forty 
 Five, according to the Samaritan Verfi- 
 on and the Samaritan Chronicle, which 
 without doubt do agree with the He^ 
 brew Copy, from which they were tran . 
 Hated. 
 
 All nterprcters acknowledge that 
 there is an uniuperahle difficulty in what 
 the Verfions make St. Stephen fay, Acts 
 7. 15. 16. So Jacob went down into E- 
 gipt, and died y he and our Fathers, and 
 were carried over intoSychctn^and laid in the 
 Sepulcher that Abraham bought for afum of 
 Money, of the Sons of EmmojC^ the Father 
 of Sychem. For (1) This Verfion fuppo- 
 fes that Jacob was tranfported to Sychem 
 with the Fathers ; contrary to the Au- 
 thority of Scripture, which exprefsly 
 fay$, that Jacob was tranfported a long 
 
 time 
 
[ Mi 1 
 
 time before the going out of Egypt , 
 and that he was buried by his Sons in 
 the Cave of the Held of Macpela, \\ hich 
 Abraham bought with the Field for a pof- 
 feilion of a Burying place, from Epbron 
 the ffittite, Gen. 50, 13. II. This Ver- 
 fion fuppotes, that Abraham bought the 
 Scpulchcr from the Sons otEmmor, con- 
 trary to the truth of the Hiflor^, which 
 fays that he bought it from Epbron the 
 I lit tit e, and that it was Jacob tint bought 
 one from the Sons of Emmor. III. Ft 
 fuppofes that Emmor was the Son of Sy- 
 i cbem y contrary to the truth of the lame 
 \ Hiftory, which plainly lays that Em- 
 mor was the Father ofSycbem, and there- 
 fore our Tranflators have very well in- 
 ferted the word Father between Emmor 
 and Sychentj Gen. 33. 19. IV. It fup- 
 pofes that the Fathers were bury'd at 
 Sycbem againil all probability ; for accor- 
 ding to reafon and the cuftom of thofc 
 times, they mud have been bury'd in 
 the lame place with their Forefathers, 
 that is to lay at Hehr<m % fmce Jacob af- 
 ter his death was laid in the Cave of 
 the Field of Macpela, which Abraham had 
 bought for a Burial place, without doubt 
 for his Family, according as Jacob him- 
 fclf fays to Jofepb, But I mU lye with 
 
[ M* ] l s 
 
 my Fathers^ and thou (halt carry me out I. 
 of Egypt, and bury me in their Burial K 
 Place, Gen. 47. 30, 31. where they Buri- \ 
 ed Abraham and Sarah his Wife^ where 
 Ifaac was buried with his Wife Rebecca, 
 and where I buried Leah, Gen. 49. 38. 
 "Tis then very probable, that the Sons 
 of Jacob were buried in the fame Grave 
 with Jacob and Leal\ and that Jofeph on- 
 ly was buried at Sychem ( according to 
 the Oath which he took of the Children of 
 Ifrael, Gen. 50. 25. ) in a parcel of Ground 
 which Jacob bought of the Sons of Emmor 
 the Father of Sychem, for a hundred 
 Lambs^and it became the Inherit anceof the 
 Children of Jofeph, J of. 24, 32. There is 
 nothing that can be oppos'd to this but the 
 Conjecture of St. Jerom, who fays that 
 
 Epitaph l ^ Q Brethren °f f°f e ph were buried at 
 
 PauU. Sychem : But to him we mny oppofe Jo- 
 
 fephus, vvhofe Authority is no lefs to be 
 
 valued in a Matter of Fad: which con- 
 
 Aqiqjud. cernec j hj s own Nation, and who fays 
 
 exprefsly, that the Brethren of Jofeph 
 dyed in Egypt, and that their Sons and 
 Grand-fons carried and buried their Bodies 
 at Hebron, to wit, in the Cave of the 
 Field of Macpelah, which is Hebron^ 
 which was made fure unto Abraham for 
 a PofTeiTion of a Burying-place by the 
 
 Sons 
 
[M3 1 
 
 Sons of TIeth, Gen. 23. 19, 20. Buc 
 :hac / 'S of Jolcph were carried into 
 
 Canaan by the Hebrews when they came 
 o'At of Egypt, according to the Oath 
 which Jofeph took of them. This 
 Relation of Jofephus has nothing that can 
 be iufpcclcd, nor that is contrary to 
 the Sacred Hiftory, and the Helrews 
 did nothing upon this occafion contrary 
 to their Duty, or contrary to Rcafon ; 
 they firft buried the Bones of Jofeph at 
 Sychenij perhaps to diftinguifli him from 
 his Brethren, becauie he had been Go- 
 vcrnour of all Egypt, and they carry'd 
 from thence the Bones of his Brethren 
 to bury them at Hebron. 
 
 Interpreters have run to fcvcral vio- 
 lent Remedies, to juftifie this Verfion, 
 and to folve thole Difficulties. Some ( ijj 
 have not fcrupled to acknowledge, that 
 there is a fault crept into the Original, 
 and that we mud put the Name of Ja- 
 cob in the place oF that of Abraham, or 
 take the word Abraham in the Genitive, 
 which would then fignifie the Grand*fon 
 of Abraham, to wit, Jacob \ or that we 
 mud take this Name for a Pratronimick, 
 which would likewite denote Jacobs or 
 that we mnft quite blot it out, and that 
 it ts the Production of fomc ignorant 
 
 Per' 
 
[ i44 1 
 Perfon, who not knowing who had 
 bought the Sepulcher, had put the word 
 Abraham on the Margin over againft the 
 Verb bought ; which Tranfcribers no left 
 Ignorant had afterwards brought into 
 the Body of the Text. Others don't 
 ( r 4-) attribute this fault to St. Luke for fear 
 of weakning the Authority of the Holy 
 Scriptures, but to St. Stephen* whole 
 Memory was difturb'd upon that occa- 
 fion, and made him confound Abraham's 
 Purchafe with that of Jacob. But not 
 to infill on the particular Refutation of 
 thofe Opinions, it's fufficient to obferve, 
 that we cannot fuppofe that either St. 
 Luke or St. Stephen could have been de- 
 ceived without giving advantage to 
 Deills and Libertines, and without con- 
 tradicting the Holy Scripture, which re- 
 prefents them as guided by the Holy 
 Ghoft, who could not fuffer them to 
 fall in a Fault of this Nature, which the 
 Jews had not fail'd to magnifie. 'Tis 
 much mere natural to Tranflate the Text 
 with Lodovicus de Dieu and Norton 
 KnatchbuL So Jacob went down into E- 
 gppt and died y he and our Fathers, and 
 were carry d over into Sychem, and laid 
 ly the Sons of Emmor the Father of Sy- 
 chem, in the Sepulchre that Abraham 
 
 bought 
 
1 14*] 
 
 Lbught for a Summ of Money. This Ver- 
 sion has nothing but what's agreeable to 
 the Terms of the Original, and. to the 
 Truth of the Hiftory, and could give no 
 occafion to the Prophane to cavil, or to 
 the Pious to doubt. 
 
 Annotations on Chap VI I. 
 
 See Ileinfws Exerc. Sac. pag. yy i t \ 
 247, 248. Grotiom and Hammond in Loc. 
 &c. 
 
 As Erafmi/Sy Zeger y He in fins, Gr otitis ( 2 .) 
 and Hammond, after Hefychius and the 
 Syriack Vcrfion. 
 
 See Homer Odjjs, S. 33. Plutarch in ( 3. ) 
 Solon, and de Orac. defect. Hefychitu Did. 
 Grec. Dionifws Halicarnafjaus y &c. 
 
 As 2 Chron. 13. 5. 2 Sam. 4. 10. Ezra ( ^. ) 
 4. 3. Micah 3.1, &c. 
 
 As AW£ ?5-33- £ )t ™- Ir - XI - Mark (5) 
 4. 22. 2 Or. 2. 5. Thus the Syriack, A- 
 raiick y Et bio fid hnd Ferfun Verfions. 
 Tremellnis, Cafialio 9 Gdiaker y Grotius, L. 
 de Viea ad March 4. 22, Sfc, have very 
 well rendred the Text. 
 
 Hence the Syriack and Arabick Verfi- ( ^ ^ 
 
 ons have rendred by three tboufand what 
 
 the Original Hebrew cxprefies by thirty 
 
 tboufand, 1 Sam* 13. J. And the Rabbics 
 
 L 1 fay 
 
[ i4« 1 
 
 fay in the Talmud, that ninety Days make 
 three Months, expreffing the number three 
 by the Word Schelufhim, which fignifies 
 thirty on other occafions. Tr. Jebamgth 
 C. 4. / 48. They fay alio, that Ijh- 
 mael was put away at the age of f even- 
 teen Tears, expreffing the number of ten 
 by the Word Gneferim, which fignifies 
 elfewheer twenty. Berefch Rabha. C. 53. 
 See Pi fcator, Allen, L.deDieu, St.Je- 
 ' 7/ * roWy Kimki, Abarbanell, &c. 
 
 ,See Cajetan, Tornel, S alien, Scaliger, 
 (3. ) ' Qr otitis i L. Cape Has, and Norton, K natch- 
 
 hill ainmad, in Nov. Teft. ad A(Ss 7. 4. 
 / \ As JLW. Capellus, Bochart, Mr. JW, 
 
 *Sy». Cm. ad 1 i?<?g. 4. 26. 
 , x See z Chron. 14. 9. 1 Chron. 18. 4, 
 x&u*. 10. 18. jWg. 4. 3, 13. 1 Mac* 
 cab. 13. x. 
 (,,.) As L. Capellus, Bochart and Mr. Pool, 
 
 Syn. Crit. ad 1 Chron. 19. 18. 
 , x As Caftalio, Grotius and L. CapelluSy 
 v IU -' after Jofephus', Theodoret,znd Syriack and 
 
 Arabick Verfions. 
 / \ As Mafius, Beza, Pifcator, L. Capel- 
 lus, Bochart, and fome others. 
 ^ j^ ) As Beda,Rabbanus, and Gw, Lo. Com. 
 L3.C ult. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[ * 17 ] 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Of the Ydiilts of Trj/ifljt!or:s th ren~ 
 derrng the Names ej Trccs y Frmts 
 
 Here is no occafion on which the 
 Vcrfions ihow more incenftancy, 
 Or differ more among thcmiclvcs than in 
 the ilgnihcaclon of theTcrms of the Ori- 
 ginal, which denote Trees or Plants. 
 
 I. The Qhaldee Faraphraie,anJ all the 
 Rabbics except Alenezra, transform in- 
 to a Plain the Gak at winch God did up 
 pear unto Abraham, when he entrcd in- 
 to the Land of Canaa^i Go:. 12. 6. And 
 mod Vcriions that pretend to agree with 
 the Hebrew, as thofe of Geneva^ of Mun- 
 fler^ of CrJt.1l/0; of Ju9V4s and Ireveli- 
 *s, and our ' Verfion follow their 
 
 Example; but the Vulgar Latin trans- 
 forms this Oak into a -If alky* But be- 
 ftdes that die Hebrew Word £&*, which 
 is here imply'd fignirics chewhere al- 
 ways an Qai t the Syrtatt and Arabkk 
 Vcrfions, St, Jcror,;t\ y and the 
 
 Verfion ofZ^/vcMiavc rendrcd itlo in the 
 hit afore- 
 
[ 148 1 
 
 aforecited place. Nor has the Geneva 
 Verfion and ours Tranflated it other- 
 ways, Gen, 35.8. J0j.z4.z6. and were 
 we to give it another Signification, we 
 muft rather make it /ignifie a Valley than 
 z Plain; beaufe Sychem was Scituated in 
 the Valley of Anion , fo called from the 
 Word £/<w, which fignifies an Oak. 'Twas 
 under this Oak that Jacob hid the flrange 
 Gods which hi3 Servants kept, and the 
 Ear-rings which were in their Ears ; and 
 'twas likewife under it that Deborah, Re* 
 iecca's Nurfe was Buried, Gen. 35. 4. 8. 
 'Twas alio under it that Jojbua let up a 
 great Stone, Jof. 24.26. and that Abime- 
 leek was made King, Judg.9.6. where 
 our Tranflators render it Plain; and 
 'twas under it like wile, that the Sons of 
 the old Prophet found the Man of God 
 fitting, 1 Kings 13. 14. 
 
 The fame fault likewife Tranflators 
 have been guilty of<in rendering the 
 Plain of Mamre, inftead of the Oak of 
 Mamre^wherG God alfo appeared untO/4- 
 lrabam,Gen.i%. i.Vor Sozomene writes that 
 this Oak was ftill famous in the time of 
 Conftcntint the Emperor for Pilgrimages, 
 and for an Anniverfary Feafl which was 
 Solennz'd there, that it was diflant from 
 Hebron but fix Miles, where there were 
 
 ftill 
 
[ M9 ] 
 /till to be feen fomc Cottages which A- 
 braham had built near unto that Oak, and 
 a Well which he had digg'd, and where 
 the Jews, Chriftians and Pagans travelled 
 every Year , cither out of Devotion, or 
 with adefign to Trade. Brocharr/afliucs 
 us that he had feen this Oak, and had 
 carry'd home fome of the Fruit and 
 Wood of it ; and he obierves that its 
 Leaves arc iomewhat larger than thole 
 of the MaJ/ick-tree, but that its Fruit re- 
 iembles an Acorn. So that it feems we 
 fhould Tranflate the Oak of Moreh, and 
 the Oak of Alawre, in the forecked places 
 where they are mentioned. 
 
 II. The unconftancy of the Rabbies 
 in the Signification they have given to 
 the Hebrew Words Sittah and Sittim, 
 has made the Authors of the Vulgar 
 Latin, of the Geneva Verfion and ours 
 keep the terms ofthe Original, without 
 TranQating them, in all the places where 
 they arc to be found, except IJa. 41. 19. 
 where the firft have Tranflated it by 
 Thorny and the Second by Fir-tree. Fa- 
 <^ius having obferved that the Jtwijh 
 Doctors take this Tree, fome for the 
 Cedar, fomc for the Wildpine, and o- 
 thers for the Box-tree, concludes only 
 with faying, that the Opinion of Ahen* 
 
 L 1 3 
 
[ 1*0] 
 
 ezra is the moft probable, who thinks 
 that this kind of Tree did grow near 
 to Mount Sinai. Hiskani fays almoft 
 the fame, adding that in the Defarcs 
 there were whole Forrefts of thefeTrecs, 
 of which the Ifraelites made their Ta- 
 bernacles, according to what is faid 
 Numb. 2 5. 1. And Ijrael alode in Shit- 
 tim; that is, according to him, intents 
 £'.?•' made of that Wood. But all this is fo Ge- 
 neral, that it leaves us ftill in the dark 
 as to the. kind of Tree which is under- 
 ftood by this Word. 
 
 The Septuagint feem indeed to fpecific 
 it when they Tranflate the Hebrew 
 Wood Sittah by that of the Bex-tree, Ija. 
 41. 19. But fince they' Tranflate the 
 Word Sittim by the Maflick-tree, Micha 
 6. 5. and by Incorruptible Wood in all 
 other places where it is found, we can 
 draw nothing of certainty from them. 
 Befides it is a Queflion whether thcBox- 
 tree grew in the Defarts of Arabia, or 
 on Mount Libanus, fince it commonly 
 Flourifhes in cold Ground, as Pliny ob- 
 ferves, and there being now no other 
 Tree in all the Defart of Arabia but the 
 Acacia, from which the Arabians take 
 the Gmr^ which we call Gum AraMck, as 
 
 Baton 
 
[ th 1 
 
 Baton who travel' J that Country relates. 
 
 St. Jen ./Hccms to have come neareit 
 to the true Signification of this Word, 
 when heobferves that the Nelrew Sitt'ab 
 is a !orc of Tree which grows in the 
 Defart, refcrtibUiig the White Thorn, or 
 Brier, both in Leaves and Colour ; but 
 withal lb large, that it can furnifh the 
 greatelt Planks, and llirpafling all other 
 kinds of Wood, m Strength, Solididity, 
 Beauty and Lightncfs, being in a man- 
 ner incorrupiable and capable of recei- 
 ving an incomparable Smoothncfs. But 
 he is deceived in laying that this Tree is 
 only to be found in Aralu, fince it is 
 common in Z 7 v/\% and even in Europe 
 too, though it have not the lame Qua- 
 lities. 
 
 However it cannot be longer doubted 
 but that this Tree is the Acacia, whether 
 we confidcr the Etymology of the Word 
 Sittdh or Sitt'n,?, or the Defcriptions 
 that Naturalifts give of t\\cAc.;cu;or the 
 place where the Matcnalsofthc Taberna- 
 cles were made of SitfiynStot as//otfh?ger 
 obierves, this word Sittahfli in the Plu- 
 ral Sittim, evidently comes from the 
 ward Stt, which fignifics among the A- 
 rdbi&nt) That Mob is /(■■■ ^ whence the 
 Rabbics call a Line or Verle of a Book 
 L 1 .1 S r.il\ 
 
Sittah y becauleof its length, • as SchinJr 
 ler remarks ; and that the Hebrew word 
 Schotet, fignifies a Staff or Rod, or a 
 Scourge, Jojbua 23. 13, and the Greek 
 word Acacia comes manifeftly from the 
 Verb Acazo, which fignifies to jharpen ; 
 becaufe the Acacia is cover'd round 
 with large and fliarpe Prickles. 
 
 Nor was there any Wood more pro- 
 per for making the Ark, and a great 
 part of the Materials of the Tabernacle, 
 which were to be very ftrong, durable 
 and lading. For 'tis affirmed by feve- 
 (2.) ral famous Authors, that the Black A- 
 cacia is fo very {olid that it almoft ne- 
 ver corrupts, whence they employ it to 
 make the Sides and Ribs of Ships. 
 
 In fine it is to be prefum'd, that fince 
 there were no other Trees in the Deiart 
 but the Acacia, and fince it was fo fit tq 
 be ufed in making the Ark, that Moles 
 would not put the People to the trouble 
 to bring from a far Materials for that 
 purpoie, fince they could be fo well fup- 
 ply'd at home : And it feems that the 
 Septuagint, Philo and Theodofius meant 
 the fame when they rendred the word 
 Sittim by that of Thorn* and thofe of 
 Incorruptible Wood. It is alfo very pro- 
 bable that the place where the Ijraelites 
 ■ had 
 
had their laft Camp in the Land of Mo* (3.) 
 al % was called Sittim, or AbelSittim, or 
 Nahal Sittim, or the Galley of Sittim, be- 
 caufe it was full of. Acacia. It it is there- 
 fore thought that we ftiould Tranflate 
 Acacia and not Sittim, in the places re- 
 ferred to on the Margin. 
 
 III. The Geneva Verfion and Ours 
 have rendred the Hebrew Word Ahaiim 
 by Aloes trees, tfamb. 24. 6. though 
 they might with as good reaibn render 
 it by tents, as the Septuapnt, the Vulga* 
 Latin, and the Syrjact and Arabic k Ver- 
 sions have done ; fince it evidently has 
 this Signification in fcveral places of 
 Scripture; and fince Balaam in the pre- 
 ceding Verle admires the Tents and Ta- ( 4) 
 lemacles of Jacob and Ifrael. Nay, fince 
 there grows no Aloes Trees in Mejopota- 
 m/4,which was Balaams Country, nor in 
 theLand of AAu^where theieWords were 
 expreft, it feems more natural to Tran- 
 flate the Word by that of Tabernacles or 
 Tents. It is true that what is here ob- 
 ferved, that God planted thole Ahalim % 
 feems to denote that they were Trees, 
 as well as the Cedars, which arc menti- 
 oned immediately afrer : But in An- 
 Ivvcr to this it may be faid, that the 
 Verb to plant, is not only imploy'd to 
 
 fignific 
 
[ iH ] 
 
 Cgnifie to put Trees in the Earth to 
 grow, but alfo to exprefs the pitching 
 or feting up of Tents, as may be feen 
 Dan. ii. 4. and elfewhere. k is like- 
 Lik r. wife true, that Diofcorides obferves, that 
 Cap. 2i. formerly the Wood of Aloes was brought 
 from Arabia into other Countries ; but 
 fuppofe this was true, it is no argu- 
 ment that it grew there, fince we find 
 that Jacob fent Laudanum to Fharaoh, 
 Gen, 43. 11. which grew in the Land of 
 Gilead, whence the IJraelites Tranfpor- 
 ted it to Egypt, Gen. 37. 24. and might 
 leave fome of it in Syria, as they pafs'd 
 that way. Not to mention that no An- 
 cient Author fpeaks of the Wood of Aloes ; 
 ( 5- ) Actius, Diofcorides , Paul AEgineta, Sera- 
 pion, and fome Modern Arabians having 
 mention'd it firft, who give that Wood 
 the name of Agalloah or Xyhaloes, that is 
 the Wood of Aloes ; becaufe it refembled 
 the Aloes in colour, or perhaps, becaufe 
 they could find no Word nearer the Ara- 
 ' hick Word Agaglugen, or the Indian or 
 Aralick W T ord Ahala. However it be 'tis 
 certain that what we now call the Wood 
 of Aloes comes from the Indies, and that 
 ■ the bed comes from Sumatra and Ma- 
 lacca. 
 
 The 
 
[ 155} 
 
 The Septuagint, Vulgar Latin, Geneva 
 Vcrfion and Ours, render Ah dim by 
 that of Aloes only, Prov. /. tlfPfin. 
 45. 9. and Car.t. 4. 14. But this is a 
 manifeft miftakc, and clearly dcflroys 
 thefenfeof thcic Texts, tor as 
 Tremellnis, Pifcaior, and J. tL Urjin ob- 
 serve, the J.oes is of a bad fmcll, and can 
 not enter among the Perfumes which are 
 mention'd in thcic places; and Cornelius 
 a Lapide is grofly miftaken when he cites 
 DiofcoriJei to prove it's Flowers have a 
 very fwect imcll ; for that Author fays 
 noiuch thing. He only oblerves, after 
 f liny , that among all the ufes it is 
 proper for this is one, that it is an ex- 
 cellent Purgative, which docs not offend 
 the Stomach ; buc on the contrary for- 
 tifies it, efpecially if taken a little be- 
 fore Meat. It is true that it was former- 
 ly made uic of as well as Myrrhe to em- 
 balm dead Bodies, but it was to pre- 
 fcrvc them from Corruption, and not to 
 Perfume them, as MutLiolus oblcrvcs af- 
 ter Mejite. 
 
 Theic Confiderations have obliged 
 Junius and Tremellius % Ruxtrrf and p/J- 
 cator % to abandon this figmfication of 
 the Words Ahdim and Ah. doth, which 
 differ only in Gender, to denote per- 
 haps 
 
I x ?6 J 
 
 faans that there were Male and Female 
 of this Perfume, as well as of Frankin- 
 
 cenfe, a feme other Drugs. But 
 tfaey don't ieem to have fucceeded better 
 in rendering it the Santal ; for tho' the 
 Heart of the feveral forts of Santal yields 
 a very agreeable fmell, of which the 
 Indians make an excellent Perfume,beat- 
 ing it in a Mortar, and macerating it in 
 Water, to rub their Bodies with, as 
 Garfias obferves ; yet this Wood was 
 altogether unknown to the Ancient He- 
 Irews, and oijly the Modern Arabians 
 have fpoke of it, remarking that it 
 comes from the Indies. 
 
 The fame difficulty may be brought 
 againft the Opinion of thole who are for 
 rendering Ahalim by the Wood of Aloes, 
 called Agalloch or Xy I aloes; for fuppofe 
 that Balaam fhould have meant Trees, 
 Numb. 24. 6. he aiii-1 have meant Trees 
 that were common in Syria and Arabia, 
 whereas the Agattdch comes from the Eafl 
 Indies, and frcm Taprcbane ; and Serapio 
 formally denies/ upon the Teftimony of 
 Abahamfa an Arabian, that any of it 
 grows in Arabia. 
 
 Nor is it probable that David or Solo* 
 mon do fpeak of this Wood in the places 
 ciced out of their Writings : For tho* 
 
 it 
 
[ 157 ] 
 tmay be prefum'd that the Fleet which 
 Solomon lent to Oph/r y which levcral, ve- 
 ry probably, believe to be Tafrobane % 
 night bring lome of this Wood with the 
 other Rarities that it brought to *Judea 
 From that Country, yet the Book of the 
 VjalmSy of the Proverl 's y and the Song 
 of Songs were Com poled before the let- 
 ting out of that Fi- 
 le may likewife be Queftiond whe- 
 :her that Fleet brought any of that Wood 
 :o Judea, becaufc it is lb rare and lb prc- 
 :ious, even in the Indies, that one Pound 
 rf it cods as much as three hundred 
 weight of the belt Frankincenle,bccaule 
 the place where it grows is full of Ty- 
 lers, as Garfias oblerves. Nor yet is it 
 to be liippos'd, though this Wood had 
 been common in Judea in David's and 
 Solomon $ time, that they would have 
 mixt it with Mvrrheand Cinamon ; for 
 the Agallocby or the Indian Wood of A- 
 f oes y is lb Odoriferous and ib agreeable, 
 :hat it ftands in need of no Compofiti- 
 )n to incrcalc or moderate its Perfume ; 
 vhencc the Indians ule it in place of 
 Vlyrrhc and Frankinccnle, and burn the 
 Jcad Bodies of their Baajans with this 
 NVood. 
 
 There 
 
[ 158 ] 
 
 There is yet another kind of Wood, 
 which is called the Wood of Aloes of Sy- 
 ria, or of Rhodes, and of Candia, called 
 otherways Afpalatha, which is a little 
 Shrub cover'd with Prkk!es y of the Wood 
 of which Perfumers, having taken offits 
 Bark, make ufe to give a Confiflency 
 to their Perfumes,w T hich otherwife would 
 be too thin and liquid. Caffiodorus ob- 
 ferves, that it is of a very fweet fmell, 
 and that in his time they burnt it be- 
 fore the Altars inftead of Frankincenfe. 
 Levinus Lemnos fays, that it refembles 
 very much the Agalloch, or Wood of A- 
 loes of India. All which Confiderations 
 make it probable that Ahalim and Aha- 
 loch fliould be rendred the Wood of A/oes 
 of Syria. 
 
 IV. Our Tranflators and thofe of Ge- 
 neva, cannot be accufed of Mif-tranfla- 
 ting the Heir em Words Almugjni and 
 Algummim, which we find i Kings. 10. 
 i j, 12. and iCbron. 2. 8. and 9, io, 
 11. fines they have only. faithfuUy co- 
 pied them ; but this can't be cail'd a 
 Tranflation. They have in this follow- 
 ed Munfter, who feeing the Jewijb Do- 
 &ors fo divided in the Signification of 
 thefe Words,thought that it is not known 
 what they fignified. But though it is 
 
 not 
 
[ 159 1 
 
 not cafie 'to determine prccifcly what 
 kind of Wood thole Words do denote, 
 yet fomething niay be laid by which we 
 can have a clearer notion of them than 
 by only copying the Hebrew. For, I. 
 luppole, than theft two Names do de- 
 note the lame kind of Wood which is 
 called AltyHQirfl and ALu<mmim by a fim- 
 ple tranfpoftion of Letters, as P. Mar- 
 tyr has probably Conjc&ur'd ; k might 
 have been called . ..<... ^/,v/ to expreis its 
 Hardneis and Incorruptibility, and Al- 
 nim to expreis its Form or Figure, 
 this Tree perhaps growing like a Reed, 
 with a fmooth Bark, and without Knots. 
 
 IT. 'Tis evident thisWood Aim^im did v ' 
 grow upon Mount Lehqnon^ fince Solo- 
 mon did require that it ihould be brought 
 from that place, with the Fir and Ce- 
 dar; and ir is probable that if Solomon 
 gave the lame Name to thacWood which 
 his Fleet brought from Ophir, that he 
 did ib only upon the account of its like- 
 ncis with that which grew upon Mount 
 Lebjno>i y as it is ulual to give the Coun- 
 try Names to thcic things which come 
 from Forrcign Places upon the account 
 of their Relemblance when their true 
 Names are not known. / ; wm thinks 
 he has demonftratcd that Luther had 
 
 rcaibit 
 
[ i6o] 
 ireafon to Tranflate Efony, but he has 
 not been able to prove that there was' 
 any Tree that grew on Mount Lebanon 
 which reiembled the Ebony, nor that 
 the Ebony was unknown in Judea be- 
 fore Solomon's time. 
 
 The fame Obje&ion may be made a- 
 gainft thofe who Juftifie thzFulgarLatin, 
 that renders7^v/rf, which is a preciousTree 
 in Affrica, of which, according to Theo- 
 phraftus, the Vaults of the Ancient Tem- 
 ple were built, and which Homer repre- 
 sents as a mod delicious Perfume, which 
 was burnt to the Honour ©f Calipfo. For 
 it muft alfo be proved, that Ihyia did 
 grow in the Indies whence Solomon's Fleet 
 did bring the Afammim: which can't be 
 fo eafily done ; befides that the Sacred 
 Hiftory fays exprefsly, that the Algum- 
 mim did alfo grow on Mount Lebanus, 
 and that this Verfion is not conftant in 
 the fignification which it gives it, ren- 
 dering it fometimes Thyja, and fome- 
 times a Pine-tree. The fame Difficul- 
 ties may be objected againft the Septua* 
 gint, who have ridiculoufly tendred the 
 word Almugim, minced frees , i Kings 
 10. ii, ix. unlefs there be a fault in 
 the Text, and that we muft i J ead Penkina 
 which fignifies Pines, inftead of Peltke* 
 
 ta% 
 
[ i6x ] 
 
 ta ; which is very probable, becaufe ir 
 is thus that they Tranflatcd the Word 
 Algummim^ zChron. 1.8. and 9. 10, ir. 
 i3uc how can we fuppofe the Pine-Wqod 
 
 fhould be brought from the Indies to '///- 
 dea where it was lb common, and how 
 could the Sacred Hiflory fay, that it 
 was not fcen there before ? 
 
 Nor is the Vcrfion of the Rabbies, 
 and of Pagnin more rcafbnable, which 
 Tranflate Almuqjm and A'^mmim by 
 that of Corral; for befides that the Co- 
 ral is not proper for Building, what need 
 was there to fetch it from the Indies^ 
 when it could be lb eafily had in the 
 tied Sea. 
 
 It feems therefore that without fpeci- 
 fying this Wood, which is abiblutely 
 unknown under the Hebrew Names, we 
 may very refonably Tranflate the Word 
 Almuq^im by Incorruptalle Wood^ and Al- 
 gv.mrmm by the Wood of Reeds, accord- 
 ing to their true Etymology. For tho' 
 Pipeda and Lippeitws laugh at this Signi- 
 fication of the latter Wood, imagining 
 that Reeds were not proper for the uic ( 7 . ) 
 for which Solomon im ployed tiic Wood 
 Algummint; yet ieveral have obferved, 
 chat in the Indies , and particularly at 
 €eilon % there arc Reeds that are more 
 M m thaiv 
 
[ i6z] 
 
 than feven foot in circumference, and 
 that equal the fined Pillars of Tem- 
 ples, in largenefs and Beauty : And it is 
 known that they are fo folid and ftrong 
 that moft of the Indian Gemots are made 
 of one joint of thofe Reeds, which yet 
 contain three or four Men: And that 
 in the Kingdom of Pegu they make Lan- 
 ces, Oars, and Mails for great Boats of 
 them. There is but one difficulty to 
 which this explication is liable, namely, 
 that it is uncertain whether there grew 
 fuch Reeds on Mount Lebanon, whence 
 Solomon defired King Hiram to fend him 
 of the Wood Aigummimi But as has 
 been already obferved, it is not preten- 
 ded that this Wood was fo called, becaufe 
 it was a Reed in effed, but becaufe it re- 
 fembled it in form and beauty. 
 
 V. It may be probably concluded, 
 that all the Verfions have been miftaken, 
 in tranflating the p r ines or Vineyards of 
 Engeddi, and that they (hould have 
 tranflated the Balm-gardens or Balms of 
 Engeddi^ Cant. i. 14. For befides that 
 the Spoufe only fpeaks in thofe places 
 of Perfumes, having already ipoken of 
 Spikenard, Mirrh and Cyprus; when the 
 Scripture would diftin^uifh the Vines or 
 Vineyards it fpeaks of ? i c mentionsthef 7 ///^ 
 
 Of 
 
or Vineyard* of Sorek, and not of thofe of 
 £ngcddi t Gen. 49. 1 1. ffa. J. i.Jer. z. z\. 
 It is true that the Hebrew word Cbera- 
 mim, Signifies commonly I'ines or a Aw- 
 y.7/7/ ,• but the moll; Learn'd Rabbits % af- 
 ter the Talmud, make it alio fignify o- 
 ther Trees : And if we confidcr, that the 
 Country of Jericho where Evqeddi was, 
 is no more remarkable for its Vines, 
 than any other place of Juries, and that 
 on the contrary, lcarce any Author has 
 Ipokc of the Country of Jericho, or 
 particularly pf Engtddi % which was not /g j 
 far from Jericho, without taking notice, 
 that it was the only place in the World, 
 known to them, where Balms did grow; 
 And if we confidcr further, that the 
 Balm-Tree moots out Buds, like the 
 Vine, and is cultivated after the fame 
 manner, and is in fome other things Jike 
 it, it cannot be longer doubted but that 
 what the iJpoulc fays, mould be tranfla- 
 tcd by the Balw-lrees of Engeddi, as may TT . 
 be \c:a\ more at large in Bochart. i.l.hk:. 
 
 VI. Mod Translators are inexcufables'* 2 - 
 in transforming a Village or Town cal- 
 led Sorek, Where D.ilila lived, Judges 
 16.4. into. Vine 1 and ntible Vinc^ 
 
 Gen. 49. 11. Ijdy. 5*. i.and 16. 8. Jer. z. 
 zi. They might eaiily have avoided 
 M m 1 diis 
 
[ i<5 4 1 
 this miftake, by confidering that Sorek 
 was a place about three quarters of a 
 Mile diftant from the Valley of Efchol, 
 or the Grape, from whence the Spies 
 whom Mojes fent to view the Land of 
 Canaan, brought a Branch, with a Clutter 
 of Grapes, which they bare between two 
 Hieroz. ^ upon a Staff. Numb. 13 ^3. as theLearn- 
 I3 .' 'ed Bochart has obferved, after the Sep- 
 tuagint, and the Verfion of 'Zurich, which 
 have very well Tranflated, A Vine of So- 
 rek. Genes. 49. 11. and If a. 5. z. tho* 
 . they have tranflated choice Vines in the 
 other places. 
 
 VII. Our Translators have likewife 
 without reafort transformed the Cyprus- 
 tree mention'd, 1 Cant. 14. and 4. 13. 
 ( 9 -) into Camphire, and the Geneva Verfion to 
 a Shrub called, Primeprint. For though 
 fome pretend that the Cyprus of the Le- 
 vant, and of Egypt, is the fame with 
 that Shrub, yet orhers obferve, thattho' 
 they agree in their figure, they differ in 
 this, that the Cyprus is Aromatick ; and 
 that when its Leaves are dry-d and bea- 
 ten fmall, they yield a yellow or red 
 Pouder, with w 7 hich the Egyptians and 
 Turks dye their Nails, and the Women 
 their Hands, and a part^of their Hair, 
 itid the Feet, Maines, and Tails of their 
 
 Horfes 
 
[ i*> ] 
 Horfes ; which is fuch a vaft Revenue in 
 Egypt, that chcCuftom of it amounts to 
 I ighteen Thoufand Ducats. This Tree 
 grows up to the height of the Pomegra- 
 nate-tree, and hears its Fruit in great 
 Bunches ; its Flowers have the venue 
 to hear down the Fumes of Wine, and to 
 beget Sleep ; and the Juice of it to cure 
 the Ulcers of the Mouth, and to hin- 
 der the Feet from SweatingiThcAralians 
 call it Alhanna or Alcanna* The Septua- 
 gint and Vulgar Latin have therefore had 
 rcaibn to render the Hebrew word Copher 9 
 by that of Cyprus-tree. 
 
 Vllf. It lecms likewife that our Trail- 
 flators have Transformed Leaves of 
 Trees, or fume fort of Fruit, into Locujls, 
 which fome pretend John the Bapt/J/ lived 
 on in the Wildernefs, Mat. 3.4. Mark 
 1. 8. Nor do Commentators/ail to make 
 fome curious Oblervations of feveral 
 People who have eat Locufts, as parti- 
 cular thole of the Levant. But the word 
 in the Original ilgnifies alfolWj of Trees, r lQ \ 
 as feveral Antient Fathers ha\e obfer- 
 yed, who underftood the Greek as w T ell 
 as our Moderns. Every one muft ac- 
 knowledge that the Bapt/fi lived in the 
 Wildernefs on a kind of Food which 
 was cafie to be made ready, which Na- 
 M m ; ture 
 
[ i66 ] 
 
 ture it felf furnifh'd, fuch as Wild Honey, 
 It is true indeed, that the Locufts don't 
 require much E)reffing, and that ieveral 
 People eat them at this day.But flill they 
 require fome pains to prepare them, by 
 Roafting or drying them in the Sun, or 
 by Salting or Smoaking of them after 
 they are taken, which does not ieem to 
 have*been an Occupation worthy of the 
 Baptift, whom the Scripture reprefents 
 fufficiently taken up with Preaching 
 Repentance. But the cuftom of eating 
 Buds of Trees, or of that Fruit which 
 the Italians call Carobe^ and the French 
 Carcages, which is the lame of which 
 the Prodigal defir'd to*eat his fill with 
 the Swine, Luke 15. 16. and fhould 
 be renderd Carob-bean, was very com- 
 mon among the Prophets of old, and 
 poor People, as may be feen Prov. 17. 1. 
 which fhould be rendered, Better is a 
 Mouthful of Corab-bean, &c. as £. Capel- 
 lus obferves \ whence the Germans call 
 this Fruit Jaans Broot, that is John's- 
 Bread. 
 
 But the moft exad: Travellers who 
 have been in the Holy Land, as 0ut$ 
 chard, Sandys, &c. obferve. That pafling 
 near Jordan they have found a kind of 
 Fruit or Pulfe, that the Monks there 
 
 eat, 
 
I i6 7 ] 
 
 cat, which they call Locufls : and San- 
 dys dcfcribing the Wilderncis of John 
 the Baptift, adds farther, that it abounds 
 with Trees called Locrjls, which doubt - 
 lefs gave occafion to this Miftakc ; be- 
 cauic the Greek word Abides^ and the 
 Latin 'word Lccullae, fignifics alio the 
 Animals which we call Locufts. And 
 hence it iecms plain, that John Baptift 
 lived on Carol-leans and Wild Honey ; 
 as may be feen more at large in Norton's 
 /V//r/'^//jiAnimndvcrfions on the New 
 Teilament, Pages 8,9, 10. 
 
 IX. All Verfions do exprefs, in anal- 
 moft ridiculous manner, what Solomon 
 fays, Prov. 15". 11. Which our Vcrfion 
 renders A word fitly fpoken is like Apples 
 of Gold in Pictures of Silver. I fhall only 
 let down what Danbawer has obferv'd on 
 the Words, from which we may fee 
 how many wild and foolifh Fancies one 
 mif-tranflatcd Text can give occafion to, 
 ' King Solomon, faith he, Crowns his 
 1 Proverbs with an Orange, to which he 
 c compares a Word fitly fpoken; but 
 * the GloiTcs of Interpreters ; the Cor- 
 ruption of Verfions, and the Contra- 
 ' didhon of Explications, have lb ob- 
 ' fcur'd and abufed it, that rhis wife 
 ' Kin^ fhould have wifhd what Tully 
 
 * • M m 4 did, 
 
[ i68] 
 4 did, that neither the Learned nor Ig- 
 4 norant had read his Writings ; becaufe 
 4 the one did not underftand them fo 
 4 much as was neceflary, and the other 
 'more than he would have defir'd, For 
 'what have not Tranflatqrs venture'd to 
 ' make of the fingle Hebrew word Ma- 
 4 kiotbtTheSeptuagint rendenit aJSTeck-lace 
 4 of Sardonyx ;The Chaldee Paraphrafe/#- 
 
 * gravers of Silver ; Symmachus and Theo- 
 4 dot ion towerd Silver ; The Royal Bi- 
 4 ble Cafes of Tranfparent Silver ? The 
 
 * Vulgar Latin, Beds of Silver ; and its 
 
 * Revifion, the Engraving of Silver ; Ju- 
 4 niw, Figures of Silver, And thofe that 
 ' have meddled with explaining this 
 4 Text, how have they drawn and fore d 
 4 ic > Moft Interpreters have turn'd the 
 
 * Fruit here mentiond to Artificial or 
 4 Tainted Apples, let in Rings of Perfume 
 4 which were carried about the Neck. 
 4 Others have fix'd them to Solomons 
 4 Bed, or to the Walls of his Palace, 
 4 which Jofephus tells us were enrich'd 
 'with imbofs'd imbroydery Workj which 
 ' did represent Trees cover'd over with 
 4 Leaves and Fruit. Here you have 
 
 * Apples of Gold, continues he, but very 
 4 unhand fomely prefemed. For what 
 4 pleafure is it to fee an Apple, though 
 
 * of Gold, if ic is only a Painted one \ 
 
 4 what 
 
[ i69 ] 
 ' What lwectncls could it yield to the 
 i tafle } Had Solomon a mind to enter- 
 * tain his Friends after the manner of 
 1 HelofaMus t who preicnted his Guefts 
 4 with Fruit of Ivory and Marble > And 
 ' what rclcmblancc is there between a 
 c Painted Apple and a Difcourfe^ or bc- 
 ' tween a ftedf and ajfr Qccafion* A plea- 
 Mantcool and afliady Grove, the mc- 
 c lodious Mufick of Birds, and the hum- 
 *ming noife of j purling Stream, do in- 
 1 vitc us to a fwect and gentle Rcpoic, 
 c but a Bed of Silver contributes nothing 
 1 ro Sleep. We mud therefore, after 
 feveral Learned Men, render the Words 
 thus, A Word fitly fpoken, or A D/Jcovrfe 
 well timd, is like Oranges in aflowrJ Sil- 
 ver Basket : For we muft obiervc, that 
 the Hebrew word Thapnacb never figni- 
 fies, in Scripture, Artificial Apples, but 
 always Natural ones. 
 
 X. It is not at all improbable that the < xz \ 
 Apples and Apple-trees, which the Spouie 
 1 peaks of, Cant, xy 5. and 7. 8. and 
 8. 5. denote Oranges and Orange-trees* 
 For fhe prailes this Tree and its Fruit, 
 not only becaulc of its Shadow and 
 Fruit, but chiefly becaulc of its Smell 
 and of its Vcrtue of comforting the 
 Heart, or of recovering cut of a Swoou, 
 
 which 
 
 (11.) 
 
[ i7o 7 
 
 which agrees perfectly well to the Orange^ 
 tree and Oranges, whcih have all thole 
 Qualities, beyond all other Trees and 
 Fruit. IndeedApples muft formerly have 
 had an EfTeft contrary to what they 
 have now, if they had been fit to reco- 
 ver Perfons out of a Swoon, fince /they 
 excite Vapours, and are ready to cauft 
 Faintings and Swoonings; whereas O- 
 ranges chear up and comfort the Heart, 
 as daily Experience ihews, whence Vir- 
 gil and Theophrajtus obferve, that they 
 are good againft fhortnefs of Breath in 
 old Perfons, that they are a good Coun- 
 ter Poifon, and that they have the Ver- 
 tue to drive away Serpents. 
 
 XL The Verfions don't feem to have 
 well exprefs'd the Merchandife which 
 the Ifmaelites who bought Jofeph carried 
 from Gilead into Egypt, Gen. 37. 35-0 
 For it is evident that the Hebrew word 
 Necoth, fignifies fome particular Drug, 
 if we compare this Text with Gen. 43. 
 11. and fince the St or ax is very common 
 in Syria, whence the Arabians Tranfport 
 it elfewhere; it is probable that Aquih 
 r t y \ had reafon to render this Term by that 
 of St or ax , as Bochart has prov'd at 
 large. He proves alfo that the word 
 Seri cannot fignifie Balm, but only /?<*- 
 
 fw 
 
[ 171 ] 
 fin or turpentine, as feveral have ren- 
 dred it. And J. H. Urfin has prov'd 
 that the Hebrew word Loth fignifies Lau- 
 danum. We ihould therefore fay, That 
 the Ifmaelites came pom Gilead with 
 their Camels bearing Storax 7 and Rojine, 
 or Turpentint, and Laudanum* 
 
 XII. Nor have the Verfions better 
 expreft the Prclents which JacoL fent to 
 Jtjepbj Gen. 43. n. Carry down the Man 
 a Prejent, a little Balm and a little Ho- 
 ney, Spices, &c. For the Text evidently 
 fpeaks of Fruit, and fuch things as 
 were taken from Trees ; and the Balm 
 did not grow in Judea, but on this fide 
 Jordan near Engeddi and Jericho, and 
 not on the other fide in the Country of (14.) 
 Gilead, where Jacob was then, as feve- 
 ral Hiftorians relate ; befides that the 
 Balm was unknown in Judca before the 
 Days of Solomon, in which the Queen 
 of Sheba brought of it thither from Ara- 
 bia Felix, zsjofephus affirms. This Verfe 
 Ihould therefore be renderd thus, Carry 
 down the Man a Prejent, Jome Turpentine, 
 fome Dates, Jome Storax, Jome Lauda- 
 num, &c. 
 
 XIII. The Verfions always confound 
 the Honey with the Dates, becaufe the 
 Hebrew cxpreiles both by the iamcName. 
 
 They 
 
[ *7x 1 
 They reprefent the Ifraelites bringing to 
 the Priefts and Levites abundance of the 
 firft Fruits of Corn ,Oyl and Wine , and Honey \ 
 and of all the Increafe of the Fie I d,zChrotL 
 31. 5. Though the Law makes no 
 where mention of the firft Fruits of Ho- 
 ney ; God only requiring the firft Fruits 
 and Tenths of the Fruits of the Earth, 
 and of Living Creatures ; and though 
 the Jewijh Do&ors obferve, that the 
 Hebrew word Deve/ch, which is in the 
 Original, fignifies properly, in this place, 
 Dates, to which the Sacred Authors 
 give the fame Name which they give to 
 Honey, bacaufe when they are in their 
 r "\ Maturity they do in effedt yield a fort 
 of Honey, which is not much inferior 
 to the true Honey. The Arabians at 
 this Day call the Dates Dubous, and the 
 Honey of D-tes, Dibs or Dibis ; and it 
 is certain that Judea did abound with 
 all forts of Palms, as may be feen in 
 the Defcription Jofephus gives of Jericho^ 
 tend in Pliny. Whence the moft learned 
 Interpreters of the Hebrew Text agree, 
 that this place only fpeaks of Dates, or 
 at moft of the Honey of Dates. 
 
 XIV. Itfeems the Verfions could not 
 have chofe a more improper Word thaq' 
 that of Mandrake to exprefs the Hebrew 
 
 word 
 
[ '73 ] 
 Word DuJaim, Gen. 30. 14, 15". and 
 QanK 7. 13. For the Mandrakes have 
 nothing in them which fhould make 
 them to be fo pafiionatcly defird, cither 
 as to Smell, Taftc, or Vcrtuc ; whe- 
 ther we luppoic that Rachel defir'd them 
 to iatisfie her Hunger, with Jofephus, or 
 whether we luppoic with ionic Rabbic^, 
 that flic was to make a Philter or Love 
 Dunk of them ; or to help her to have 
 Children ; or with others that ihe defir'd 
 them only for the lmclkfor it is a (linking 
 and ill fcented Fruit, of aco!d Quality, 
 StupifyiogandPoifonous ; and all that is ( 16.) 
 allcaged to the contrary is evident falfe 
 and fabulous, as Antonius Deufingius has 
 proved. 
 
 It is not in the leaft probable, that 
 Rachel was undei a nece/fity of defiring 
 a Fruit which the Shepherds could icarce- 
 ly eat in the Fields, when they could 
 find nothing elfc; nor that (he flood in 
 need of any thing to make her beloved 
 of her Husband, who gave her marks 
 of the molt tender Aftedtion : Befide* 
 thac Leah, who in companion was de- 
 ipis'd by Jaccl 7 would not have parted 
 with it to Ujchcl, had it been proper to 
 beget Love. Nay the time in which 
 Ruben found thole D. does not iuf- 
 
 fer 
 
[ 174 ] 
 
 fer us to believe that (lie defir'd to eat 
 of them, nor that they were Mandrakes i 
 For it is obferved, that it was in the 
 Days of Wheat Harveft, that is at the 
 end of April or beginning of May^ which 
 Was the time of their Harveft in Pale- 
 stine, and in which the Mandrakes only 
 begin to Bud, not producing their Fruit 
 till the Autumn. 
 
 This has obliged Junius f Tremellius x and 
 Pifcator to render this Word by thofe of 
 fine and lovely Flowtrs ,and fonie Rabbies, 
 as Jarki, by that of Violets or Jafrnin, 
 which agrees pretty well with the time of 
 which Mofes fpeaks, 1 and to the Exprefli- 
 on of the Spoufe in the Canticles. Others 
 think that chis Y^ord denotes the Lilly, 
 which in Syria is of a moft agreeable 
 Beauty and Smell,and which grows there 
 in the Fiekta ; and this feems to be its 
 true Signification. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. VIII. 
 
 ( r ) See Pliny Hift.Nat. 1. 16. c. 16. Be- 
 lon Objerv. 1. i. c. 56, 80. St. Jerom 
 Comment, ad rja.41.19. and Joel 3. 18. 
 and Micah 6. 5. 
 
 As St. Jerom, fbeophraftus, Mathiolus, 
 ( 1. ) Pro/per Alpinus and Vejiingnis, Obfervat.^ 
 
 ad 
 
[ I7> 1 
 
 ad P. Alpin % C. 4. Pbilo de infomniis, 
 &c. 
 
 As F.xod. 15. j, 10, 13, 23,28. and (3,) 
 26. 15, 26, 31, 37. and 27. i, 6. and 
 30. 1, 5. and 3f. 7, 14. and 36. 20, 
 31,36. and 38. 1, 4, io, if, 25, 28. 
 and 38. 1, 6. Dairf. 10.3. Ifa. 41. 18. 
 
 As fo#. 4. 20. and 13. 3. 70/.' 7. 21. /- \ 
 Judg. 7. 8. 7^- 2.2,. 23. £><*;/. 11. 45. 
 &c. 
 
 As Garfim Anomat. I. 1. c. 16 and 17. (- \ 
 JuL Scaliger Exerc/t. 141. Sc£t. 6. Bau- 
 binus if/ Maibiolum L 1. Diojcor. c. 21. J. 
 II Urjinus Arbor et. Sac.c. 3. and 43. and 
 Ilort. Aromat. c. 2, Diofcor. 1. 3. c. 19. 
 and 22. 77///. Iliji. Nut. 1. 27. c. 4. SVrrf- 
 ^/0>/ de temperament is (tmplicium. Bocbart 
 Canaan. 1. I. c. 46. 
 
 For Almugim is manifcftly compofed (6.) 
 of the Negative Syriack or Arab/ck Arti- 
 cle /M', and the Verb Mog, which fig- 
 nifics to Corrupt, And Algummim is 
 compos'd of the Caldee Word Gumhi^ 
 which figniiics a A' tjh or a AYf//. See J. 
 //. L^far. Arhret.bibL c. 2. and 43. /V/#. 
 
 L 13. c. i>, 16. . 
 
 fine da de rebus S a lorn. I. 4. c. 18. Z/- (7.) 
 peni us Salomon Opbir Navtgat. p. 691. 
 Plin. /////. L 16.0.36. Scaliger Exacit. 
 166, &c. 
 
 See 
 
[ 176] 
 
 ( 8.) See Strabo, Geogr. 1. \6. Diodorus Si- 
 cuius 1. 19. p. 724. Trogus Hift. 36. Jo- 
 fcphus Antia. 1. 4. c. 3. lib- 9. c. 1. and 
 de hell. Jud. 1. 1 5. c. 4. Hegef. 1. 4. c 1 7. 
 Jojeph, Gor. Hift. 1. 4. c. n. /?. Kimchi ad 
 xReg. 20. 14. P/in. ////?. Mtf.l. ii. c. 
 25". Marinus 1. 3. c. 14. 
 , n See Ruellius 1. 1. c. 94, Mathiolus^ in 
 
 ^"' Diojcor. 1. i.e. 107. Zte/00 Obfervat. fin- 
 gul 1. x. c. 74. Dodcneus p. 6. 1. 2. c. 3. 
 in Liguflro. Bauhinus ad Mathiolum loc. 
 cit. 
 
 / I0 1 Athanafeus, Ifiodorus, Dam. Epift. 1. 1. 
 Epift. 5. and 131. Paulinus Carw. de Jo- 
 an, Bapt. Tantalion Viae, de Luminibus 
 Sanctis, Lud. Cappellus Comment, p. 473., 
 
 , 1 As Luther., the Verfibn of Zurich, 
 * Zehnerus adag. cent. I. #d^. 58. Marti- 
 nus de Roa. Singular, p. 2. J. 1. c. 4. <j£- 
 jm* , Salazar and 0> '#. <* Lapide. 
 
 ( 1 z ) ^ ee Grot ins, J. H Urfinus Arbor et. 
 Bibl. c. 33. Virgil y Geo. 1. 2. Theophraftus, 
 &c. 
 
 f ^ x See Bochart Hieroz, T. 2. 1. 4. c. 11. 
 and p. 1. 1. 2. c. 51. The Samaritan 
 Ver/ion, Munfter, Tagnin, Arias Mon- 
 tan. Leon Juda, Mahenda, Ainfworth, 
 Junius, J. H. Urfinius, Hort. Aromat, 
 1. 3. c. 4. The fame amendment is 
 to be made 2 Kings 20. 13. IJa. 39. 2. 
 
 fa< 
 
I *77l 
 Jer. 8. 22. and 46. 7- and 51. 8. Ezek 
 27. 17. 
 
 AsStrabo 1. 16. D. 10. d. Sic, p. 724. (10.) 
 Irogus 1. 36. Jojephus Antiq. 1. 4. c. 3. 
 and 1. 8. c. 2. Hegef. 1. 4. c. 17. ff/wli 
 and /?. Levi ad 1 AVg. 22. 13. Bochart 
 Canaan, 1. 10. c. 28. 
 
 See £aW. 34. 16. Numb. 28. 26. Zfc*f. (*?•) 
 18. 4. and 26. 2. R. Solomon ad Levlt. 
 2. 11. MaymonTrad. Berac. c. 8. A'/w^/ 
 *fc/ 2. Gtra». 3J. 5. Jof. de Bell. Jud. 1. J. 
 c - 3« 7^* ^- Navig. c. 138. /Y/tf. 
 /////. Nat. 1. 13. c. 4. Fbilojlratus Apol. 
 2, Erpenius Prov. Arab. Cent. 1. Frov. 20. 
 Bochart Hieroz. Part. 1. J. 4. c. 12. 
 
 See Jofephus Antq. Jud. Anton. Dufing. r x ^ \ 
 /^/cv'c. D///2r. &/i#. de Duda/m, p. 354. 
 and Sqq. Fjciffer Dub. Fex. S. CtoiJ. 1. 
 
 L 59. 
 
 N n [CHAP 
 
[ 178 ] 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 That Tranjlators outfit to take notice 
 of the Antient Cufloms and Notions^ 
 
 and re the ways ofjpeafyng that 
 
 alluae to them to Exprefjions which 
 are plain and decent in our Lan- 
 guage, 
 
 nr^ HE Ancients had feveral Cuftoms 
 f and Notions very different from 
 ours, which moft of our People know 
 nothing of, and they had likewife feve- 
 ral ways of fpeaking which were Noble 
 and Emphatical, and fome which were 
 plain and proper in their Language,which 
 have noGrace at all in ours, and are fome- 
 times mean and undecent, and often un- 
 intelligible. 
 
 I. The Verfions fay, That Saul flript 
 off his Cloaths , and Prophefied before 
 Samuel, and lay down naked all that Day^ 
 ■ ann all that Night, i Sam. 19. 24. That 
 Ifaiah did looje the Sack-cloath of hisLoyns, 
 and put of his Shoes from his Feet, walk- 
 ing naked and barefoot, Ha. 20. 2, 3, 4. 
 
 and 
 
f *79 ] 
 and that Micah lays, Therefore 1 wVl 
 wail an 4 boul, I Will zp Jlr/Pf and n 
 Mic. j. 8. ami that Peter was n 
 John 11. -. Now ionc can read theie 
 Texts without imagining chat the ' er 
 ions fpoken uf in chem were alto ether 
 Naked; thoiij h lere is no more 
 
 falie, as will ca(i v ipp< tr lo in chat 
 confiders rhc true tignification or me 
 Words in die ( il, <,r the Circum- 
 
 ilanees of r! ^ Pla< ai ti< ir. 
 
 tor d) The Words of the Original, 
 which are rendred Naked, or *o be N 
 iignine often nothing clfc but to have a 
 parr of tht B.^dy uncovcr'd, as the Ver- 
 fions Tranflatc it, i ^ant, 6. io. or only 
 to be without a Gown or upper Gar- 
 ment, according to the Cultom of the 
 and of the - o ans 9 who 
 when they went abroad, or made any 
 publi k appearance, wore along upper 
 Garment, called in Latin fcgaj as m y 
 be feen in fcveral good Authors, who 
 prove that the Greeks and Latin have of- 
 ten imploy'd the Words which figrurie 
 Naked in this lenlc. 
 
 Nor (i) is it at all probable that the 
 
 Prophets could have been guilty of -fiich 
 
 Indecency as to go altogether Naked, 
 
 in Publick or in Private; Godha\ing 
 
 N n i alwaj s 
 
[i8o ] 
 always testified his abhorrency of Nu- 
 dity, and having exprefly enjoyn'd the 
 Priefts to wear feveral Garments to 
 cover their Body, that thus they might 
 be diftinguifhed from the Pagan Priefts, 
 who were not afhamed to appear Na- 
 ked ; but on the contrary made one of 
 the Principal parts of their Worfliip of 
 this Extravagance , having particular 
 Feafts, as thole which they call'd their 
 Lupercalia^ appointed for that Abomina- 
 tion, as may be fcen in Livy Decad. i. 
 Lib. i. and in feveral other Authors. 
 
 And (}) we need but confider the 
 Circumftances, which If at ah and St. John 
 remark, when they Ipeak thus, to be 
 perfwaded that they did not mean a be- 
 ing altogether Naked. For God com- 
 manded Ifaiah to put offhis Sack-cloath, 
 and to go barefoot for three Years, on- 
 ly to denote that the Egyptians and Ara- 
 bians were to be carried away Captive 
 in the fame manner by the Ajfyians. But 
 it was never the Cuftom to ftrip Cap- 
 tives altogether naked, but only to 
 drip them of their be ft Cloadis, and to 
 give them vvorfe and Ihorter Cloaths,that 
 they might be the more fit w fcrvc ; as 
 Sanclius and G .■<■ tm hav* obiervcJ. Be- 
 fides that it is net probable that Ifaiah 
 
 could 
 
[ i8i } 
 could have Hv'd three whole Years with- 
 out any Cloaths to cover him. 
 
 As for Peter, though it was cuftoma- 
 ry with Fifhcrs, in their Boats, ro go 
 naked to the Wafte, St. John could not ^ lm ' 
 more exprefsly lay, that he was not al- 
 together Naked, than by obferving that ( j.J 
 he took bis upper Garment ; for io the 
 Word in the Original fhould be renderd, 
 as ieveral Learned Men have obferv'd. 
 
 We muft therefore render, That Saul 
 lay all Jay almofl raked on the Ground, In 
 the fame fenfe that Aureiius rider ipcak- 
 ing of thole who were fent to Lucius 
 Quint us ilincimnatuSy to bring him to the 
 trie Senate to be made Dictator, fay, that 
 they found him Naked, Plowing on the 
 other fide of the Tyler : For it were ri- 
 diculous to imagine that he was altoge- 
 ther Naked. And Titus Livius relating 
 the fame Story obferves, that he cali'd 
 to his Wife Ruccha for his Gown or To- 
 {*, that he might be fit to accompany 
 them. 
 
 Nor were it lefs ridiculous to think, 
 when Virgil advifes Husbandmen « to 
 labour the Ground being Naked, that 
 Plowmen were to have nothing to cover 
 them, for that Word fignifics to hay? 
 nothing on but a Shirt, as may be iccn 
 N n ; in 
 
[ x8x] 
 in the Ancient Met als chat reprefent the 
 Dreis of Pluwnu n. 
 
 One mull Likewifc be a Stranger to 
 the way of Clbattring of the Remans to 
 imagine that Augujtus was altogether Na- 
 ked when >uetonius reprefcntes him with 
 his Breaft Naked, rcfufmg die Dicftator- 
 fliip which the People offer' d him w 7 ith 
 great earneftriefs uet* in Aug. c. 52. For 
 tlu fignified only that he had laid by 
 his Icga^ but having ftill his Coat and 
 Shirt on. 
 
 Nor are we to fancy wfeen JElian re- 
 lates, that Gelon having Vanquiflbud the 
 rtha\ weans in the Battle of Hwera, 
 .dented himfelf Naked in the Market- 
 dace, lwea ing that he would reftore 
 their Government and Liberties to the 
 Inhabitants who had oppofed him; and 
 that they Eredc a Naked Statue for 
 him, in the Temple of %vp, in memory 
 of this Generofitj ; we are not, I lay, 
 to fancy thai eithei le or his Statue were 
 altogether Narked for the Greeks im- 
 p.oyed the v ord Gumnos to fignine thofe 
 that had laia down their £rms> efpecialiy 
 their Buckler^ Sword and CaraJJe, as may 
 befeeri at large in the ObfeiVations of 
 G.Cuper ; and it may be fomething proba- 
 ble that it is in this fenfe that Saul is Re- 
 presented 
 
[ i8 3 ] 
 prcfentcd Naked, fmcc without doubt 
 be had been Arm'd before, being in pur- 
 fuic of David, 
 
 However ic cannot be deny'd, after 
 what has been obierv'd, that when 
 God commanded Ijaiab to go Naked 
 three Years, the meaning only is, that 
 all that time he went without bis upper 
 Garment, hut wore his other Cloaths, and 
 therefore we ihould Tranflate, that he 
 
 nt almofl Naked, or rather, with ut his 
 Gown or upper Garment, and the lame is 
 to be laid of Micab and St. Peter. 
 
 The lame Amendment mud be made 
 where the Vcrfions command the Ifraeli- 
 tijh Women to flrip and make themielves 
 hare ; for it is no wife likely that the 
 Prophet mould have enjoyn'd them any 
 fuch Indecency. But as Glafius has ob- 
 iervd, the Scripture rcprefenrs fuch na- 
 ked as arc ill cloadfd, as may be feen 
 in many 'places, in all which we are 
 tp Tranflate Ill-cloatl/dinRcadof Naked, 
 in the fame fenfe that Seneca fays, that ^ *W 
 he who has feen a Man Ill-cloth d or co- 
 ver'd with RaggSj fays that he faw him 
 Naked. 
 
 II. The Vcrfions make David threa- 
 ten that he would not leave of all that 
 pcrtaiu'd to Nahal t by the Morning 
 N n a Lighr, 
 
'[ i84 1 
 
 Light, any that piffeth againft the WaB. 
 God pronounces the fame Threading 
 againft Jeroboam and Ahah, i Kings 14. 
 10. and xi. xj. x ^/^ 9. 8. And 
 Omri executed this Severity on the 
 Houfe of Baafha, 1 Kings 16. 11. As 
 this Expreffion is fomething General, 
 feveral Interpreters extend it even to 
 (w the Dogs, becaufe it may be faid of 
 them, as well as of Men ; and think 
 that the Words do intimate a to- 
 tal Extinction of every thing that had 
 Life in thofe Families. But this can nei- 
 ther agree with the Truth, nor with 
 the Circumftances of what palled on 
 thofe Occafions. This Adlion can't be 
 attributed to the Female Dogs, nor to 
 their Whelps, for the firft feven or eight 
 Months; and as for the fair Sex, they 
 have been always exempted from thofe 
 bloody Executions. And there is no 
 Example to be found of any Family fo 
 totally extinguifh'd, as to have neither 
 Friend, nor Relation, nor fo much as a 
 Dog left alive. 
 
 Thefe Difficulties have obliged pther 
 Interpreters, as L. Je Dieu to reftriCfc 
 the ilgnification of thefe Words ; but 
 lie has fallen in to another Extreme, pre- 
 tending that thofe Sentences related to 
 
 young 
 
[ i8y ] 
 undifcrcct Boys : But this Opinion is fo 
 very ridiculous, that it is a wonder it 
 fliould come io the Head of fo Learned 
 a Man. 
 
 But this Exprcffion truly fig on- 
 
 ly Men in General, of which the Execu- 
 tion of the Thrcatning pronounced a- 
 gainft Ahab is a plain Dcmonfl-ation ; 
 for Jehu only put to Death the Men that 
 belonged to him, 2 Kings 10. 11. and 
 JtzaM 9 who was the only Woman of 
 hisHoufeand Court that was Executed, 
 did not iuffer by Vertuc of this Thrcat- 
 ning, but by Vertue of a particular 
 Thrcatning pronounced againft her, 
 2 Kings 9. 10. But fincc the Exprcffion 
 is Ambiguous, and that it may offeqd a 
 Modeft Ear, it were better to render it 
 by the Word Afen, which is the true and 
 real meaning of it, as lcveral Learned / 6 -, 
 Men have obferv'd. ^ ' * 
 
 IH. The Afflictions which God fends 
 on Men are often in Scripture expreft by , . 
 the name of a Guf. This is a Metaphor ^" ' 
 borrow'd from an ancient Cuftom of giv- 
 ing a Cup full of Poifon to thoic who 
 were condemned to Dvc, as was clone to 
 Socrates; and as the Jews prcicntcd to 
 our Saviour Vinegar and Gall, Matt. 
 27. 34. according to the Cuftom of the ( 8. ) 
 
 Jews 
 
[ i86] 
 
 Jews on ihch occafions, to leflen the Pain 
 of the Perfon that fuffer'd. 
 
 There was likewife a Cuftom among 
 the Ancients, that thofe that entertain'd 
 their Friends, gave them Laws of Drink- 
 ing, which they were not allow'd to 
 Triarjfgrefs, prefcribing them both the 
 Quantity and Quality of what they 
 were to Drink, without refpeel: either 
 to their Health or Palate; which was of- 
 ten altogether infupporcable : And there- 
 fore we find that all Reasonable Perfons 
 look'd upon it as a fingular Happinds to 
 be exempted from thofe impertinLntLaws, 
 
 ( 9- ) as may be feen in the Book of Eajier 
 and in Horace. 
 
 Thefe are evidently the Foundations 
 of this Metaphor, which the Prophets 
 made ufe of to exprefs the Lot of the 
 Wicked ; and our BlefTed Saviour to ex- 
 prels the painful Circumftrnces of his 
 Death. But fince thofe things are un- 
 known to the People, it ieems that it 
 were more fit to Tranfiate thofe Terms 
 by fome Circumlocution, than to leave 
 the People in Ignorance, or perhaps raift 
 in them foolilh Notions. 
 
 ■* ro. ) IV. The Scripture often fpeaks of the 
 former or latter Rah, and the early and lat- 
 ter Rain. The former Rain was that which 
 
 fell 
 
[ i8 7 1 
 
 in th c Month of OSoher\ and nrrnarcd 
 the Earth to make thc Seed fj ing up, 
 and the latter Rat*, was that which Fell 
 in the Month of Match, and ferved to 
 ripen the Corn; and therefore to make 
 thefe Exprelhons Intelligible to the Pea- 
 pic, the) Ihoiild be renderd, the ring 
 Rainznd the Autumn » \nn, or rather the 
 Qdoha Ran and thc Much Ram. 
 
 All the Ver <ons have manifc ly coo- 
 fonnded thc rour Seafons of the Year, 
 which Mofes cxa&ly diftinguiihes, Gen. 
 8. 11 H/.7.r //'? Earth renuineb Seed- 
 time and i Jar '/?, C<?/*/ <W /V^f, d*^ 
 Summer, audi , and Day ± uid Ni^bt 
 
 (kail not a i For the Hebrew w rd 
 
 AV, which they render ffo Ce^/, liqui- 
 fies rfo JJ /**< / , hecauie of thc Cold that 
 then Reigns ; Thc Word Chom, which 
 they render f/eat, fignifies the Spr tg, 
 becaufc of the heat that abounds in Ju- 
 dea about the end of the Spring, in the 
 Months of May and J me, which is the 
 Harvcfl: time in that Country, whence 
 thc Scripture mentions the heat of Har- 
 vcfl:, Ifa. 18. 4. The word ffdjts, which 
 they render Summer, docs indeed figni- 
 tic lo : 13ut the word Qboroph, which they 
 have rendred Winter^ ih )tild be rendered 
 the Autumn, which is the time of Plow- 
 ing 
 
[ i88 ] 
 ing and Labouring the Ground, as may- 
 be feen Pray* zo. 4. 
 
 It is true indeed, as M. Le Clerc has 
 obferved on Gen. 8. ix. that the Year is 
 fometimes only divided into two Seafons, 
 one of which comprehended the heat of 
 the^Spring andSummer,and is calkdKajtts, 
 and che other the coolnefs and cold of 
 the Autumn and Winter, and is expre£- 
 fed by the word Choreph, as may be 
 feen Vfal 74. 17. Zech. 14. 8. which has 
 occafion d the Miftake of the Tranila- 
 tors; but Mofes here evidently diftin- 
 guifhes the Four Seafonsof the Year. 
 
 VI. There is frequent mention made 
 of the Firfl Month, of the Second, Third, 
 Fourth, &c but without knowing that 
 the Hebrews begin their Year the 
 Firfl Day of the New Moon of March, 
 it is impoiTible not to confound the time 
 in which the things which are fpoken of 
 happen'd, or were to be done. We 
 fhould therefore Tranfiate the Firfl, £0 
 condj'hird, &c. of the New Moon of March, 
 when mention is made of the Firfl: 
 Mouth, and fo of the reft, if we would 
 have the meaning of Mofes and the Pro- 
 phets to be underftood. 
 
 VIF. We muft neceflarily reduce the 
 Hours which are mention'd in the New 
 
 Teftament 
 
f 189 ] 
 Tcflament to the meaning m the Lan- 
 guages into which they arc Tranflatcd, 
 unlets we would leave the Reader in 
 Confuficm and Error. The Jews divided 
 the Dav into four Farts, each of which 
 contained three Hours. The firft part 
 of the Day, which extended from Six a 
 Clock in the Morning till Nine, they 
 called the firft Hour of the Day ; the 
 Second from Nine a Clock till Twelve, 
 th^y called the fecond Hour of the Day; 
 the Third, from Twelve to Three, they 
 called the third Hour of the Day ; and 
 the Fourth, from Three a Clock to Six, 
 they called the fourth Hour of the Day. 
 But it is impoffible to undcrlland the 
 Hour or Time which is exprefsly menti- 
 on'd wirhout reducing ihcfe Jew/ft Ex- 
 prcflions to out way of counting the 
 Hours. When therefore the Greek lays, 
 that the Darknefs continued from fix Flours 
 till nine, we mud Tranilatc from Noon 
 till Three a Clock, Matt. 2,7. tf t Wc 
 muft alio reform what is laid Mark 15-. 
 25-. That it iv ji the Third Hour when they 
 Crucified Jciiis, and Tranilatc That it was 
 after Nine a Clock ; and that of St. John, , > 
 That// WO I the Sixth I lour, That 
 
 // was about Moon, John 19. 14. which 
 removes the lbeming Contradiction which 
 
 is 
 
[ ipo ] 
 is between the two Evangelifts, unlefs 
 we fhould read alio in St. John, the third 
 Hour, which is very probable. The 
 fame Amendment muu be made Ails 2. 
 15. and 31. and 10. 9. 
 
 VIII. It is faid Hebrews 7. 3. That 
 Mr.-chizedcck was without Father, with- 
 out Mother ) without Dejcent, having nei- 
 ther beginning of Days, nor end of Life. 
 Which Words have given occafion to ie- 
 veral wild and whimfical Speculations. 
 Some have imagined that Melchzzedeck 
 was no Man, as the Author of the v<uefti- 
 ons on the New Teftament, which are 
 found among r he Writings oiSvAujtin and 
 * x Jerom who thought that Melchizedeck was 
 ^ *' the Holy Ghofl, and the Melchizer/eci.ns 
 who made him greater than Chrift, and 
 the Introdudtor before God, which Ter- 
 tullian alfo attributes to the Heretick 
 Zheodotius* fheodoret alfo attributes to 
 the Melchfzedeci.ms, that they believed 
 Me/cbizedxk to be fome great Divine 
 Po-cr, after the Image of which Jejus 
 Ghrjft was made. Epiphanius adds that 
 forr e of the Orthodox were of Opinion, 
 tha:: was rheSon of God that appear- 
 ed it \braham under a Humane Shape. 
 St. Jerom attributes to Qrigen and to Di- 
 dymus to have believed, that he was an 
 
 Angel, 
 
[ I9i ] 
 
 Angel, and St. Auftin lays, thac he was 
 ib Illuftrious thac ibme doubt whether he 
 were a Man or an Angel. The Samari- 
 tan* and J civs, if we believe JerotVj have 
 pretended that he was Shem the Son of 
 AW;, and Teveral Chriftians both Anticnt 
 and Modern, have been of this Opinion, 
 which ncverthelcts Epiphanim rejected 
 not believing that Shem lived at thac time 
 wherein Meichizedeck is laid to have met 
 Abraham. But the Jews pretend thac he 
 lived nil the Days of Ifaac, according to 
 St. Jerom and Ale km. 
 
 However it is noc probable chat Shem 
 fliould have lived among che Canaanites f 
 where Melchizedeck mec Abraham, fince 
 his Family and Delccndants Inhabi- 
 ted che Eaft Country, which was at a 
 great diftance from thence, as may be 
 gathered from Gen* 10. and from what 
 Armbim lays on Pfal. 104. Though 
 Epiphanins allures us that Lavaan had a- 
 bandon'd his Drvifion to be free from the 
 violent heat with which he was incom- 
 moded, and that he made himfelf Ma- 
 tter of the Div/fion of Shem, or of Pa* 
 lejiine. 
 
 But the great Rcalbn which deftroys 
 all thofe Opinions is chat the dclcnption 
 which the ApolUe gives of Mckbizedeck s 
 
 neither 
 
[ 192, ] 
 neither agrees to the Holy Ghoft, nor 
 td an -Angel, nor to Shem, whole Fa- 
 ther, and Mother, Family, Original 
 and End, were very well known. 
 
 The Opinion of Epiphanius and others 
 is much more probable , who think 
 that Me/chizec/eck was a Siclonian, which 
 they feem to have taken from Jofe- 
 phus, who calls him a Prince of the Gz- 
 naamtes. 
 
 We may obferve after Canterarius, 
 that the Apoftle does not defcribe him 
 by thofe Qualities, with refpecft to his 
 Perfon, but with refpedt to his Office 
 or Dignity of Priefthood, which made 
 him like Jefus Qhrifi ; and that on that 
 account 'tis enough that his Genealo- 
 gy, Birch and Death, are not Record- 
 ed m Scripture, to Juftifie this De- 
 fcription, as feveral have obftrved. 
 
 Bv: fince it is ufual in the bed Au- 
 thors to defcribe Famous Nations and 
 Perfons, as if they were the firfl of 
 their Order, a id as if they had pro- 
 duced ehemieh r €S, ; i : s more natural to 
 have recourfe to this Cuftom. Hiftory 
 fpeaks of feveral People who had no 
 Original. They who Inhabited the 
 Country where Rome is 'built fince, 
 were called Aborigines before JEneas 
 
 and 
 
[ '93 1 
 
 the Vhryrigiavs came thither ami 
 took the Name of Latins, though Diu 
 arnaffeus lays, that they came 
 from Arcadia with Qenatrus Son of Lyca 
 en King of Arcadi 
 
 The Athenians called themlelvcs Au» 
 rones for the fame reafon, as well 
 as the Arcadians, the Aiginetes and the 
 ians; and the quality of Indigenes^ 
 which the Latins gave them fignified no- 
 thing clfe. 
 
 The Fable gives no other Parents but 
 the Earth to Erictbonius and Vulcan. Se- 
 neca ipcaking of two of the firft Kings 
 of the Romans, lays, That the on; had 
 no Father, and the other no Mother, which 
 he explains thus, That they doubted of tb 
 Mother of ServillS, and that there was no 
 mention made of the Father of Ancus ; 
 which Canu/cins relates a little different- 
 ly in Livy % laying, That Servius was 
 of a Captive named Cornicilana, but 
 that he had no Father, and the lame too 
 is confirmed by Horace. 
 
 If it be true that Melch/zedeck was 
 defcended of Wicked and Idolatrous Pa- 
 rents as mod of the lathers think, and 
 that he was the firft: and lall Prieft of the 
 true God of his Race, the Apofile might 
 frelldctcribe him under thole Characters: 
 On Bur 
 
 M 
 
[ 194 1 
 
 But fince our Language, is not fo Me- 
 taphorical as the deadLanguages,itfeems 
 we fhould follow in a popular Verfion 
 the meaning which we have obferved, 
 and Tranflate with Outran, That Melchi- 
 zedeck was the moft Illuflrious of his Fami- 
 ly, and had neither Predeceffbr or Succeffor 
 in his imploy. This Verfion is very Na- 
 tural, and expreffes fully the fence of 
 the Words of the Original. 
 
 IX. The Title of Greek does not only 
 fignifie thofe who are Greeks by Birth, 
 or who fpeak Greek, but alfo in General 
 all Idolaters in oppofition to the Jews, 
 who only Worfhiped the true God. For 
 which reafon to avoid Ambiguity the 
 true fignification of it Ihould be deter- 
 mined according to the Perfons and Cir- 
 cumltanccs where it is imploy ed. As 
 when St. Mark calls the Woman, whole 
 Daughtet had an unclean Spirit, a Greek, 
 Mark 7. 2(5. For flie could not be a 
 Greek by Nation, fince it is exprefsly 
 obferved, that flie was ^Syrian, andfince 
 Syria was at a great diflance from Greece, 
 the lame Amendment muft be made Rom. 
 1. 16. Gal 3. 28, &c. and when menti- 
 on is made of the Greeks Acts 6. 1. and 
 9. 29. we muft Tranflate, The Jews that 
 fpoke Greek. 
 
 X. The 
 
f lj>5 ] 
 The Verfions make St. Paul 
 fay, ti Rock n nhflfdM 
 
 to the Ifraclites in \ fart followed 
 
 , 1 Cor. 1 o. 4. 
 d Interpreters don't fail to make Pal- 
 c tor thole Waters overfeveral Moun 
 tains which were in their way, which is 
 no left Miraculous than rhc making the 
 Rock to yeild Water at rirft, and which 
 Mojcs had not fail d to obferve had it been 
 true. But why iliould we here look for 
 another Miracle more l. n in that which 
 m relates of the Water of the River 
 Cb*afpes t of which he iays, that it fol- 
 lowed the King of Perfia wherc-cver he 
 went, becaufc he made Provifion thereof 
 to be carried about with him ? And may 
 not the Apollles Words be rendefd 
 thus, 7 . kank of that Mjflkal Rock % 
 froi followed them y and that 
 
 Rock :\ rather than to give 
 
 advantage to the Profane, who take cc- 
 cafion to deny the true Miracles, when 
 they find Men (landing up for imaginary 
 on^ 
 
 1 here are feveral P; m the 
 
 Tranfiation of the Pfatms (_ cfpecially in 
 that which is read at Prayer^) that wane 
 very much to be rectified. The 6o Pfa/m, 
 from the 5-th Verio to the 9th, is very 
 O o :. obfeure. 
 
[ 196 ] 
 
 obfcurc. And in order ro underftand it 
 we mud know, that the Verbs to divide 
 and to mete out are imployed to exprefs 
 Dominion and Power. So that Verfe 6. 
 flioald be Tranflated, God gracioufly pro- 
 mised that I fhould Rule over Siehem, and 
 he Mafter of the Valley of Succoth, that 
 is Samaria. The Phrafe which we ren- 
 der Strength of my Head, fvgnifies thofe 
 who fupported the Crown by their Va- 
 lour ; and that which we render Law- 
 giver, fignifies thofe who fupported it 
 by their Wifdom and Counfel. So that 
 we fhould Tranflate Verfe 7. Gilead and 
 Manafleh have fubmit/ed to me, Ephraim 
 furnifl:es me with Valiant Men, and Judah 
 with Men of Prudence and Wifdom. The 
 Word which we Tranflate Wafhpot is em- 
 ployed to exprefs the loweft degree of 
 Slavery and Servitude. / will caft my 
 Shoe over Edom, that is to fay, accord- 
 C'4'/ ing to fome, I will reach my Shoe to he 
 unloosd by Edom ; Others, / will tram- 
 ple over Edom, and fome are of Opini- 
 on that the Word which we render a Shoe 
 fliould be render'd a Chain. But all grant 
 that it implys a (late of Slavery and 
 Bondage. We read 2 Sam.S. 2, 14. 7W 
 David fmote the Moabites, killing the 
 one half of them, and keeping the other 
 
 alive. 
 
[ *97 ) 
 alive , who became his Servants, and 
 brought him Gifts* A»d that he put Gar- 
 H/cMS ti 't all Edom, and that the 
 
 Edomitej Servants. We 
 
 mould therefore render, I will reduce the 
 Moabitcs to the zilejl Servitude, I i 
 alfo triumph upon the Edomites, an J make 
 , and the Philiftins Jhall 
 add to n The lame Paflages 
 
 arc repeated again Pfalm io8. 
 
 XII. The Tranflations make the 
 Paflmifl (ay, Let them he ajbamed and 
 brought to Conjufion together that re Joyce at 
 my hurt, &c. And as fome take occafion 
 from this to think, that it is lawful for us 
 to Curie our Enemies ; \b others, who 
 consider the Nature of God and the Spi- 
 rit of Chriftianity, cannot read thole Paf- 
 lages withoutHorror andAmazemcnt.But 
 we muft oblcrve that the Words which 
 we Tranilatc Let them be ajbamed, fhould 
 be rendcr'd They Jhall be ajbamed. And 
 lb the whole Pfalm inftcad of (b many 
 forms of Execrations or Imprecations 
 again!) God's Enemies or the Pfalmift's, 
 arc really no more than lb many Tefti- 
 monies of his affurcd Confidence, that 
 God who made him fuch Frorr.iks would 
 make them good in his Prcicrvation, and 
 rhc dilappointment of his Enemies. And 
 O o ; according 
 
[ i 9 81 
 
 according to this mcafure all the other 
 PJalms which feem to be full of Curfes 
 againft God's Enemies are to be under- 
 ftood. Hammond in Loc. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. IX. 
 
 ( \ See Gislert Cuper y Obferv. 1. i.e. 7. 
 ^ *' ' Anton. Barreman. Dial. Lit. de Poet et 
 Proph. p. 119. Tit, Liv. Dec. 1. 1. 1. 
 
 [ aura 
 
 ( 2. ) Tunc loca forte Legant ; ipfiq; in pupibus 
 Duel ores longe effulgent •, aflroq decor i. 
 Cetera populea velatur fronde Inventus^ 
 Nudatosq;humeros oleo perfufa nitefcit. 
 
 Virgil An. Lib. $\ 
 
 r 2 \ See Fuller, Mifcel.Tbeol. 1. 1. c. 2. Hein. 
 
 Arijiarch, Grotius, Hammond \ &c. 
 (4.) Glajfius Rhetcrica Sacr. Job. 22. 8. and 
 
 24. 7. Deur.'zS. 4$. EzeL 18. 7. 16. 
 
 Mtf. 25. 36, 38, 43, 44. 1 Cor. 4. 11. 
 
 i Cor. 11. 27. ^.7. 2. 15. 
 f 5. ) See K^ ^raA jforfo, Kimki, /?. //^/^ r 9 
 
 ^/>/,. 5, Vat alius ) Sanilius, Cajtalio, Ejii- 
 
 us. Cornel, a Lap. Mencch^ Junius > Pijca*- 
 
 tor, &c. 
 ( 6. ) #• £^* and /?. £//^75 f* Thisbi tw? 
 
 Schacan, />. Martyr and Both art Hiercz. 
 
 T, 1. 1. 1. c. 25. 
 
 Pfalm 
 
f 199 ] 
 
 Im II, & and -5-. 9. 7)0. J"t- 7. ( 7» J 
 1 ~ ix. Lam. 4. XI. Mfrt. 20. 21. and 
 2639, 42. yj/j/-/' 14. 36. Lw&' 22. 42. 
 7^/vz 18. ii< 
 
 II. 6. Talmud Bah. Sanbedr. ( 8. ) 
 />. Aiodal: Zara 9 Ct MaimoHy 
 
 Sec /yfc- i. 8.— prout cuiq; libido eft. 
 at inequalcs c a/ ices canviva 9 Jolutus 
 tnfanis, Hor. Lib. 2. Sat. 6. 
 
 (?.) 
 
 Sec Det<t. ii: 14. 5W 29. 23. Pfalm (10.) 
 10. 1. /Vci'. 16. 15". J^r. 5. 24. Joel. 
 2. 13. ,4w0j 4. 7. //0/ftf 6. 3. Jam. f. 7. 
 
 Nonnus Far. Gam$, M. S. and that of (uA 
 P. of Alexandria, cited by Pctavius Doft. 
 tempi. I. 12. c. 19. and by P.Colom.Obf. 
 Sac. p. 82. 
 
 Epiphan. Heres 55. and 87. Tertull. de ( n.) 
 prescript, adver. Heres. Theodoret L. II. 
 /-/. 7 ' lieron. Ep. adEvaqr. ^iufuftin 
 L. 1. Qucft. in Gen. C 72. 
 
 perfua<L, i c tiki reclc (. l l') 
 
 Ante Poti-jLitem Tulli aty y ignobile regnum. 
 Multos jape viros null is majoribus ortos^ 
 
 'bos magms ct honoribus aullos. 
 
 Hoiat. S. i. 1. Sat. 6. 
 
 O o 4 The 
 
[ xoo ] 
 (14.) The Scptuagint have Ekteno. The 
 Vulgar Latin Extendam* Syricak Ver- 
 fiqn / will unloofe. Abu Valid renders 
 Nagal a Chain or Fetter, and Kimki in 
 Rad. 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 Several other Covjiderable Mifiakfs 
 Confidered. 
 
 1 
 
 H E Verfions don't feem to have 
 well exprefs'd the reafen for 
 which Jacob lpved Jojeph more than his 
 Brethren, by thefe Words, becauje be 
 to as the Son of hu old Age, Gen. 37. 3. 
 For if his Love had been only founded 
 on this Realon, he mqfliiave lov'd Zabu- 
 lon as well as Jofeph fince he was of the 
 lame Age ; and he muft have loved Ben~ 
 jamin more, fince he was born fixteeq 
 Years after Jojeph. The Hebrew Text 
 lays only, becauje he was Son of the EU 
 ders or Senators, that is becaufe he was; 
 their Difciple, in the flile of the Hi\ 
 brews ; wherefore tliQ Samaritan, Perjjan, 
 and Arab/ck Verfions, and the Caldee 
 Phar^phrale render, becauje he was a Wife 
 
 and 
 
I 101 ] 
 and Prudent Son; and it fccms chat chey 
 might be yet better Tranflatcd by lay- 
 ing, That be was wife at a .Senator, VViC 
 dom being a quality which makes Pa- 
 rents love their Children, and prefix 
 them to their Brethren. 
 
 IT. There is commonly a great diffe- 
 rence made between dying the Death and 
 dying li»p:\, and leveral Divines don't 
 fail to allure their Hearers, that to dye 
 comprehends the death of the 
 Body, and the death of the Soul, or E- 
 ternal Damnation, and that God threa- 
 tens Adam with both, Gen. z. 17. But 
 if wc muft give way to fuch Speculati- 
 ons, why may we not fay that God 
 permited Adam to eatof the Fruit of all 
 the Trees of the Garden Corporally and 
 Spiritually , or then and to Eternity, 
 fincc the word Eat is twice found in that 
 place.-' Or when it is laid, Multiplying 
 J will multiply thee. Gen. 22. 1//. That 
 God Promilcd to multiply the Pollcrity 
 of Abraham in time and to Eternity > 
 It is much more Natural to have re- 
 courfe to the Maxims of the Helrem 
 Tongue , which obferve that a Verb 
 is joynfd to its Infinitive to exprefs 
 the certainty of an Action or ElIccT. 
 
 Th 
 
[ 201 ] 
 
 There are few Divines fo cruel as to 
 think, that the Child which Bathjheba 
 bore to David was damn'd though 
 Nathan declar'd to him, that he Jhould 
 dye the Death, z Sam. n. 14. Nor that 
 all thofe whom God condemn' d to dye 
 for the breach of force of the Political 
 or Ceremonal Laws were Eternally 
 damn'd, though the Law fays they were 
 to dye the Death, This Expreffion can 
 fignifie at mod but an irrevocable Sen- 
 tence of Death, as our Tranflators have 
 very well rendered it, Gen. ] 4. i Sam. 
 22. 14, &c. And thus it muft be ren- 
 dered in all places of the Old Teftament 
 which fpeak of dying the Death^ and 
 Matthew 1 §..4. and Mark 7. 10, &c. 
 
 The Jews were fo far from thinking 
 that this Expre/fion did denote the death 
 of the Body, and of the Soul, or death 
 Temporal and death Eternal, that fome 
 of them obferve, that it only fignifies to 
 f J \ be Strangled, which is the eafieft fort 
 of Death, which the Jews did execute 
 on Criminals ; and that when Mofes adds 
 to the Sentence of thofe whom he Con- 
 demn d to dye the Death, that their Blood 
 might he upon them ; this way of fpeak- 
 ing fignifies to be Stoned, which was 
 
 the 
 
[ »o 3 ] 
 
 the mod feverc kind of Punilhmcnt Ex- 
 cutcd by that Nation, as may be iccn 
 in their Authors, and as is eafily ob- 
 icrved, by confidcring that it was the 
 Pumihmcnt thrcatend againft the great- 
 eft Malefactors, namely, againft iuch 
 as Curled their Father and Mother, a- 
 gainfl. luch as Prophan'd the Sabath,who 
 Ador\l Idols, or Introduced Idolatry ; 
 who Confulced Dcvincrs, and who Blaf- 
 phemed the Name of God, Ltvit. 20. 
 4, 9, 13,16, 18, 17. 
 
 III. This Remark is of great uie with 
 refpedt to our Werftern Tranflations of 
 the Bible, unlets we fhould (peak He- 
 brew in our Languages. God is rcpre- 
 fented laying, Ihave s feen t I have feen 
 the Affliction of my People ; and our Sa- 
 viour, Hearing yc /hall hear and jh all not 
 underj/and y and feeing ye Jh all fee hut not 
 perceive, which darkens the Dilcourie, 
 and makes way for fevcral ridiculous 
 Speculations. To avoid which we fhould 
 Tranflatc, / have certainly Jeen the Ajflic- ( z. ) 
 tion of my Feople, and ye /hall certainly 
 't not underjland, and )e (hall cer- 
 tainly fee but not per Nay the 
 Threatning exprcft Gen. 1. 17. fhould 
 be render'd, Tou /ball to dye with- 
 
 out 
 
[ Z04 ] 
 
 ( i. ) out remiffion, as fome have very well 
 obferved. For the Scripture often ex- 
 preffes by the Future, not only what 
 will come to pais, but alfo what ought 
 ro come to pais. There is a plain Text 
 to this purpofe, i Kings z. 37, qz. 
 where Solomon fays to Shimei, Go not 
 jorth thence any whither ; for it /hall be 
 that in the Day thou goejl put and pafjeji 
 over the Brook Kidron, thou Jhalt know 
 for certain, that thou Jhalt Jurely dye, or 
 dye the Death ; th,t is, thou Jhalt dejerve 
 Death without / emiJ?io/,\ For Solomon re- 
 ferved to himfelf the power of punifh- 
 ing him when he fliould think fit, and 
 in eflfed: he did not put him to Death 
 the fame day which he difobey'd, no 
 more than God did put Adam to Death 
 the fame day that he did eat of the for- 
 bidden Fruit. 
 
 IV. The Scripture makes frequent 
 mention of The Book of Life, and feve- 
 ral affirm, that thofe who are written in 
 it are abfolutely predeftinated to Salva- 
 tion: But this way of fpeaking can 
 have no fuch fignification in Scripture, 
 elfe we ftiall make Mo fes to defire a 
 thing which- was impoflible even to God, 
 namely, That he would blot him out of 
 
 the 
 
[ io* ] 
 the Book If M i had dcfir'd to 
 
 be damnd, Atheifts and Dcills might 
 have reafbn to fay, that he had made a 
 II demand, which looked 
 more like Madrid's than lnfpiration. But 
 aftci levcral others , has 
 prov'a,that he had not the lcafl thought 
 of Damnation. No filch thing can be 
 found in what goes before and after ; 
 and befldes the defign of that whole 
 Chapter is quite oppofitc to this 
 Thought, and runs all on Temporal 
 Punifhments. 
 
 There it is Paid, that God being great- 
 ly offended with the ifraelitts for their 
 ftupid Td »la;rv, rclblvcd ilraight to con- 
 fume them. Mofes intcroeeds for them 
 and prays, that God Mould pardon them 
 or that he would blot him out of his 
 Book. But what could he undcrftand 
 by this Book, but the Scroll where the 
 Names of all the [frae/ites that were to 
 enter into Canaan were written ? This 
 way of fpeaking is evidently grounded 
 upon the numbering of the Children of 
 //rati at their coming out of E^\p\ and 
 the Rcgiftrin^ of their Names in a Scrol 
 or Regifler, as may be teen Numb. i. 
 The lame method was hkewile taken 
 
 ac 
 
 
[ ^o6 ] 
 at the return from theBa&t/cwiJhCaptmty 
 as may be feen in the Books of Ezra 
 and Nehemiah, and thofe who were enrol- 
 led in this Book are faid, to be written for 
 Life ^ or among the Living, Ifa.4.3. whereas 
 they blotted out every Year out of this 
 Catalogue the Names of thofe who dyed. 
 This may be gather'd from a like 
 ($•) Prayer of Mofos on another occafion, 
 where he fays, If thou deal thus with me 
 kill me I pray thee out of hand, Numb. 
 11. 15. The Hebrew word alfo which 
 r \ is render' d to blot out> always fignifies to 
 ^ * kill or deftroy. It is therefore evident 
 that to be written in the Book of Life, fig- 
 nifies to be under the Favour and Pro- 
 tection of God, and that to be blotted out 
 of it, fignifies to lofe the Life by a 
 juft Puniftiment, as moft of the Learn- 
 ed do acknowledge. 
 
 IV. .Several Divines eflablifh a won- 
 derful Myltery on the Greek Words Eu- 
 dokia and Et.dokem, which are render'd 
 Good Fleafure, and to take his pleafure /», 
 and they oblerve, that they denote an 
 ablolute Decree of God, of loving thofe 
 he thinks fit, without refped to their 
 good or bad Adions, which they pre- 
 tend is what the Scripture exprefles by 
 
 the 
 
[ *o 7 ] 
 die Word / But not to enter up 
 
 on this thorny Coniroverfie, the Words 
 fie no inch thing, and rhcy arc only 
 miploy'd in gcnoral to cxprefsthc Love 
 u hich one hath to iome Pcribnor Thing, 
 which rather prefuppofes lome good 
 and laudable Qualities, than a purely 
 arbitrary Determination in their Favours, 
 ih ewn from ieveral Paflages 
 in the ( Paraphrafc, and the Sep- 
 
 tuaftnt Verfion. 
 
 V. Our Verfions make Paul defire 
 to bring him t I which be brought 
 
 i Troas, and to juilific this Tranfla- 
 -tion it is laid, that in Ancient MSS. 
 .there is a Word which fignifics a Cloak, 
 Thattl; le dcfn by to come 
 
 before Winter,- That he dc fired to have 
 his Father's Confular Cloak to keep him 
 in remembrance of him ; or that it might 
 have been the Cloj me great Con- 
 
 Jul, who laid it at the Apoftlcs Feet to 
 (ell for the Poors ufcj but the very 
 naming of that Rcafon is enough to re- 
 fute them. Others think that the A- 
 poll I c del ires to I Cheji ot 
 
 \, and obierve that mod Greek Co- 
 pies have a Word which has always this 
 fjgmfkatiofi, and never fignifics a CW- ; 
 
 Thai 
 
f 208 ] 
 
 That k is not probable that the Apoftlfc 
 had left his Cloak behind him, or if he 
 had that there could be no nece/Tity of 
 fending for it fo far ; That Books were 
 then very rare and good efpeciallyCopies 
 of the Bible, which probably was one of 
 the Books which he kept within thatCkefi; 
 That the Syriack Verfion has two Words 
 in this place which fignifie the Houfe of 
 Books, that is in the ftile of the Eaftern 
 People, and particularly of the Heirews, 
 Caldeans and Syrians^ A Chejt or Packet 
 of Books ; and that the great Etymologift 
 SuiJas does not render the Word which 
 is in the Original otherwife. We muft 
 therefore Tranflate, The Chejl of Books y 
 which I left at Troas, bring with thee y 
 See. 
 
 VII. The Word in the Original which 
 we Tranflate to Jufiifie^ has given occa- 
 fion to one of the mofl confiderable Corr- 
 troverfies of the two laft Ages, as well 
 as that which we Tranflate Faith. For 
 the firft fignifies fometimes to abfolve 
 a Criminal, and fometimes to condemn 
 him, fometimes to make one Juft by 
 infpiring Juftice in him, or by giving 
 him means and occafions to become 
 Juft; this is granted on all hands. The 
 
 Word 
 
[i€9] 
 
 Word Faith fignifies a bare Perfwn/i- 
 on which one has of a thing, andfome- 
 times alio the effects that Ihould follow 
 from liich a Perfwafion ,• fometimes the 
 Trufl or Confidence which we have in a 
 Perfon, and iometimes the Objedt of our 
 Belief or Confidence. A Translator there- 
 fore fhould ncccilarily ftick to the figni- 
 fication which thole VVoids ought to 
 have, according to the Subject and Cir- 
 cumftanccs, where they are imploy'd; 
 and if they had done this, that famous 
 Diiputc had been ibonsnded. 
 
 VIII. Ic is laid, That ajter Thcudas 
 rofe uf Judas of Galile, Ails 5. 37. Buc 
 Jojeph the Hiftorian tells us, that JndaS 
 the Galilean was icveral Years before 
 TbeaJas, having lived in the Reign of 
 the Emperor Anguflus. It is therefore 
 probable that the Vcrlcs are not rightly 
 diftinguiuYd ; and that the Words after 
 him (as the Original hath it) fliould be 
 added to the 36//; Vcrfc thus, —-who was 
 Jlain , and all as many as oleyed him 
 were Jcattere J and brought to nought ajter 
 hrm y which is very true. 
 
 IX. Some of the mere moderate Di- 
 vines make fine Reflections on the Mo- 
 defty and Charity of the Apoftles that 
 V p would 
 
[ no), 
 would not fay that Judas was dam- 
 ned, but thac he went to his place, 
 without daring to decide the matter. 
 Others again think .pi this Expreffion 
 denotes that Judas nitfft have a particular 
 plate o/Damnation,becauie of the exceed- 
 ing hainoufnefs of his Crime. But if we 
 confider theOriginal a little, we {hall find 
 that the Words don t regard Judas but 
 Matthias find that they ihould be render'd 
 th\xs,ThoHj Lord, who knoweft the Hearts of 
 all Men, /hew whether of theje Two thou 
 haft chojen, that he may take pofjejfion of 
 this Miniftry and Apoftlejhip y ( from which 
 Judas by Tranfgreflion fell ) to go to 
 his own Place or Office , each Apoftle 
 having his particular Jur.fdi&ion, or 
 Office, as Norton Knutchhuil has very 
 well obferv'd. 
 
 X. We find in all Verfions a Fault 
 which borders on Blafphemy. The Di- 
 fciples of our Saviour, or his neareft 
 Relations, are reprefci^ed as going to 
 lay Hands on him, and faying, He is 
 be fide himfelf Mark 3. 21. Some In- 
 terpreters feeing that this is injurious to 
 our'Saviour, think the Words niy be 
 render^ He is in a Swoon ; Others at- 
 ribute tuis faying to his Enemies; O- 
 
 thcrs 
 
(ill] 
 
 tficrs that it fignifies only, Ik ft gone 
 out. But all this is not capable to re- 
 move the difficulty ; we mult therefore 
 cunfidcr that St. Matthew relating the 
 fame Hiflory oblcrves , that it was 
 the Multitude who were bcfide them- 
 felves, and raviih'd with Admirati- 
 on at the fight of our Saviour's Mira- 
 cles ; and St. Luke makes the lame re- 
 mark imploying a Word which always 
 fignifies to be ravifti'd with Admiration. 
 This Verfe then fhould be Tranflaued, 
 Tbq/e who belonged to him jeeing this went 
 out tojupprefs tbem, (the Multitude ) for 
 tbey fata they are lefide tbemjehei. 
 
 Annotations on Chap. X. 
 
 Alenezra Comment ad Levit. xo. 9. ( *. ) 
 R. So lorn in , Levi, Hiskum et Author 
 Yhef«la>. 
 
 Exod. 3.8. Alls 7. 34. Matt. 13, 14. { 2, )j 
 Mark 4. ix. Aflsz%. 16. 
 
 The Hebrew Word Pecbab always fig- ( 3. ) 
 trifles to Kill, Gen. 6. 7. and 7. 33. Exol 
 17. 14, &c. 
 
 f r ide Lib. Tree. Bafilea. Edit. p. 377. ( +1 ) 
 CW. I. Talm. Cod. Rojch* HaUhaju C. 1. 
 
 J 
 
[ziz] 
 See De ut+ zz. z. in the ChaUee Para- 
 ($»■) raphrafe, and Pfal. ji. xi. in the Sf/- 
 
 tuagint. 
 r . As #£z/s Antient MSS. or the CawL 
 ' ' MSS. have it, and as Norton Knatchbull 
 
 has prov d, kd Marc. 3. xi. 
 
 THE 
 
 «— »— —ii 1 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 OF T HE 
 
 Second Part 
 
 OF THIS 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 ^ H AT the Verfions often confound 
 
 JL the Perfons y Countries and Anions 
 
 of which the Scripture /peaks. Page i. 
 
 Chap. If. Of the Faults of Verfiom in ex- 
 pr effing the Coyns, Weights and Me a- 
 fures mention d in Scripture. p. 19. 
 
 Chap. III. That the Verfions confound al- 
 mofi all the Animals the Scripture f peaks 
 of) or transforms them into other thiugs, 
 and fometimes other things into them. 
 
 p. 4*. 
 
 Chap. IV. That the Ambiguous Words of 
 the Original have often given occafion to 
 
 Tranjlator* 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 Tranflators to he decent d thcmfelves, 
 and to deceive others. p. 63 
 
 Chap. V. Some Rules nectffary to be ol- 
 fervedly Tra*jlators. p. 89.- 
 
 Chap. VI. Some texts relating to the- 
 Juftice and Goodnejs of God cleared and 
 explained, p. no. 
 
 Chap. VII. Several feeming Qmtr&ditlu 
 on s rectified. p. 122* 
 
 Chap. VIII. Of the Faults of franflations 
 in rendering the Names of Trees 9 Fruit s> 
 &c. p. 147. 
 
 Chap, IX. That Translators ought to take 
 notice of the Ancient Cufloms and Noti- 
 ons, and reduce the ways of fpeaking 
 that allude to them to ILxprejftons which 
 are plain and decent in our Language. 
 
 p. 178. 
 
 Chap. X. Several other remarkable Mi- 
 flakes confidered. p. zso. 
 
 A 
 
A Talk of the Places of Scripture contain' 
 ed in loth Tarts of this ESS AT. 
 
 
 Genefis 
 
 
 
 Ch. 
 
 Ver. 
 
 P2g. Pt. 
 
 Ch. 
 
 Vcr. 
 
 Pag. Pt. 
 
 
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 28 
 
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 28 
 
 9 
 
 11 
 
 22,26 
 18 
 
 *7 
 
 30,31 
 17,18 
 11 
 
 21 
 38 
 
 *3 
 
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 Pag. Pt. 
 
 21 I 
 
 43 * 
 108 2 
 
 70,171 2 
 
 82 2 
 
 82 2 
 
 164 2 
 
 179 i 
 
 108 2 
 
 61 z 
 
 14,1 2 
 
 89 2 
 
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Books Vrinttd for John Nutc. 
 
 DO&or Atterhuryi Ten Sermons Preach'd 
 before her Royal Hignefs the Princefs Ann 
 of Denmark^ the Chappel at St. Jameses. Price 
 Three Shillings. 
 
 A General View of the World: Or, The Marrow 
 of Hlfiory. In two Parts. The Firft, contain- 
 ing theHiftory of the World from the Creation, 
 to be continued to the Year 1700: Giving an 
 account of the Empires, Kingdoms, Principali- 
 Republicks, & c. With the Religion, Laws, 
 Government, and Cuftomsof the Inhabitants of 
 each Country: Like wife the Lives and Remark- 
 able Adiions of the Patriarchs* Judges, Princes, 
 Emperors and Kings : Alfo of our Blefled Savi- 
 our, his Apofties, and other Illufrrious Perfons. 
 The Second,containing an Hiftorical Account of 
 Af&irs from January, i-f^f-. to this time. 
 
 '. be Vrefent State of the Univerfe^Qx. an account 
 of I. Tbje Rife, Births, Names, Matches, ChiJ- 
 dien and near Allies of all the Prefent Chief 
 iMnces of the World. II. Their Coats of Arms, 
 Motto's, Devices, Liveries, Religions, and Lan- 
 guages. III. The Names of their Chief Towns, 
 with fome Computation of the Houfes and In- 
 habitants. Theif Chief Seats of Pleafure, and 
 other remarkable things in their Dominions, 
 IV.Their Rcvenues,Power,and Strength. V.Their 
 refpedtive Styles and Titles, or Appellations. 
 Alfo am Account of Common Wealths relating 
 to the fame Heads, The Third Edition conti- 
 nu'd and enlarg'd, with the Effigies of all the 
 Crown'd Heads of Europe, as alio the various 
 Bearings of their feveral Ships at Sea* 
 


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