Treatise of Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of the Authenticall edition of the Scripture.
NOw we must enquire which is the Authenticall edition of holy Scriptures, it being necessary that this heavenly truth committed to writing, should be delivered in some forme of words, and in some language which may be understood. Lawyers, from whom the use of the word Authentique*Authenticū est quod ex se fidem sacit, sua authoritate nititur, ab iis de quorum authoritate constat comprobatur. To be authenticall is to have authority of it selfe. seemeth borrowed, doe call those instruments and writings authentique which have a certaine and just authority in themselves.
A booke or writing is authentique either by divine or humane institution; those are by Divine appointment and institution authenticall which have from God sufficient and absolute authority to command and approve themselves worthy credit and faith, in as much as God himselfe doth approve thtm; by humane institution such writings are held authenticall which by the opinion and sentence of learned men in their severall professions may be esteemed worthy credit and beliefe for themselves, and for the truth in them.
There is a great diversity of editions of holy Scripture; all cannot be simply and perpetually authenticall, in of, and for themselves, without reference unto another, no more then many draughts of the same Lease or Deed, or copy of one pardon can be. Some amongst many are authentique, whence the others are transcribed; yea it cannot be that there should be many; but although there may be many counterpanes of the deed, yet there is but one or two principall Deeds: so, amongst this great variety of editions one or more ought to be as principall and authenticall.
Thrre is a question betwixt the Church of Rome and the reformed Churches about the authentique edition of Scripture; they say, that the edition of the Bible in Hebrew and Greeke i… not authenticall, but rather the vulgar Latine. We hold, that the vulgar Latine is very corrupt and false; that the Hebrew*Hebraels Graecisque textibus concedatur utilitas maxima, laus maxima, exemptio de malignis corruptelis absolutissima: id vehementer approbo. Morinus in epist. ad Dia…riben. for the old Testament, and the Greeke for the new is the sincere and authenticall writing of God; therefore that all things are to be determined by them; and that the other versions are so far to be approved of, as they agree with these fountaines.
The Tridentine Councell thusaLatina vetus vulgata editio in publicis lectionibus, disputationibus, praedicationibus & expositionibus pro authentica habeatur, & nemo illam rejicere quovis protextu audeat, aut praesumat. Concil. Trident. Sess. 4. decreto 2do. Predigiosum certè decretum & cujus cordatiores Pontificios & tunc cum illud cud…retur pud…erit, & etiamnum dispudet. Amama Antibarb. Bibl. decreeth, that in all sermons, readings, disputations, controversies, the vulgar Latine Translation should be taken for authentique before the Hebrew or Greeke, and that no man should presume upon any occasion to reject it, or to appeale from it. When the Councell of Trent saith the vulgar Latine is authenticall, it compares it with other Latine Translations, not with the Hebrew. Muis.
Andradius (the chiefest of the Divines at the Councell of Trent) thinketh that the Councell of Trent did not meane either to condemne the Hebrew truth (as he calleth it) or to acquit the Latine Translation from all errour, when they called it Authenticall; but onelyonly that the Latine hath no such errour by which any pestilent opinion in faith and manners may be gathered. This saith Rainolds against Hart. ch. 6. p. 202. & Chamier tomo 1. l. 12. c. 2.
The Rhemists in their preface to the new Testament, translated by them, prolixly extoll this Latine edition, and contend that it is not onelyonly far better than all the Latine versions, but then the Greeke it sele, which is the Prototype.
Before we come to defend our owne or disprove that opinion of the Papists, it is necessary first rightly and fully to state the question, and to premise some things concerning the severall versions and Translations of the Scripture.
We deny not that part of Daniel and Ezra which was written in the Chaldee dialect to be authenticall, because we know the Lord was pleased that in that language as well as the Hebrew some of his Divine truth should be originally written.
1. For the more credit of the stories, the Lord bringeth forth forraigne Nations and their Chronicles for witnesses, least any of them should doubt of the truth thereof.Junius. 2. The Lord would have some part of those stories come to the knowledge of the Heathen, and it was requisite that the Chaldeans should know the sinnes and impieties of that Nation,Nec obstat, quaedam in Jeremia, Daniele, & Esra, idiomate Chaldaico consignata esse, ea n. lingua ab Hebraea inflexione saltem differt & ab eadem tanquam matre, nascitur, ac demum post captivitatem Babylonicam Judaeis … esse fa…il…a…is. Waliberus in officina Biblica. and the judgements that should befall to testifie unto all the truth of God; therefore in generall the alteration of the terrene States and Kingdomes is shadowed forth and published in the Chaldee tongue, that the Gentiles might take knowledge thereof; but the particular Histories of the comming of the Messias, of his Office and Kingdome, and of the calamities and afflictions which should befall the people of God are set forth in the Hebrew tongue, as more especially concerning them. Likewise it pleased God for the better credit of the story, that the History of those things which were said and done in Chaldea should be written in the same Language wherein they were first spoken; and therefore the Epistles and rescrips of the Kings are delivered in the Chaldee speech, as taken out of their publique Acts and*Jun. in Dan. 7. & prolog. in Dan. Records; and that the History in Daniel set forth in the Chaldee speech gaining him respect with the Chaldeans, might stirre up the Jewes to receive Daniel as a Prophet of God whom the Heathens admired. If there be any footsteps of the Chaldee and Arabique in Job as some learned say; we doe not exclude them from authentique authority; for we say the whole old Testament for the most part in Hebrew, and few parcels in Chaldee, are the authentique edition of the old Testament.
The Greeke copies of the new Testament are also from God immediately, the very dialect wherein those Prototypes were, which the Pens of the Evangelists and Apostles did write. For the Gospell of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews being written in Hebrew, and Marke in Latine, we have refuted that opinion already; the Greeke edition of those three Bookes, as well as of all the other of the new Testament is authenticall.
The versions of the Scripture are either the Chaldee and Greeke of the old Testament, the Syriacke and Arabicke of the new, the Latine, Italian, French, and English of both Testaments.
All the versions*Singulae ver…nes habent fu… laudes, suas labes. Amama Antibarb. Bibl. l. 2. c. 1. Multo purior (inquit ipse Hieronymus) manat fontis unda, quam ftuit rivuli aqua. of the sacred Scripture have so far divine authority as they agree with the originall tongue; and to say that any Translation is pure and uncorrupt, and that the very fountaines are muddy, is both a foolish and impions blasphemy. The tongue and dialect is but an accident, and as it were an argument of the Divine truth, which remains one and the same in all Idiomes; therefore the faith of the unlearned depends on God, not on men; although the Translations, by benefit of which they are brought to believe, be perfected by the labour of men. Gods providence and care of the Church is such that he would never let it be long destitute of a fit TranslationbThe accurate inspection of the Hebrew Bible teacheth which Translation hath most exactly exprest the meaning of the holy Ghost., which being publisht by learned men, and approved of by the Church, how ever it failed in some things, yet following the truth constantly in the more principall and necessary things, might be sufficient to all for wholsome instruction.
The versions differ often much among themselves; Arias Montanus differs much from Pagnin a learned Translator, and Vatablus from both; from all these Luther, and from him againe the Vulgar. Osiander, LXX varie.
The Chaldee Edition of the old Testament is not a Translation done word for word, but a Paraphrase, and so called; the Chaldee Paraphrase, by the JewsbTargum Chaldaitè significat Interpretationem, item Paraphrasin, quando non tam verba quam sensus ex alia lingua redditu…. significatio hujus vocis est generalis, ad omnes lingua… se extendens, sed tamen usus jam ob…inuit, ut per Targum foreign intelligatur solum Chald…ica Bibliorum v. Testamenti translatio. Helvicus de Chald. Paraph. Namine Targum non significatur semper Chaldaeus Paraphrastes, verum eo vocabula Interpretem in genere notant. Rainoldus de libris Apocryphis tomo 1. c. 82. Vide Schickardi Bechinath, &c. Targum, though some conceive that there is some kind of distinction (to speake accurately) between the Chaldee Paraphrase and Targum. Targum being a generall word, signifying an Interpretation or Paraphrase, though it usually now by an excellency denoteth the Chaldee Paraphrase. There were three authors of it (as it is reported,) according to the threefold difference of the Hebrew bookes.
Rabbi Achilam or Aquila, who is vulgarly called Onkelos upon the five bookes of Moses; Rabbi Jonathan the sonne of Vziel upon the former and later Prophets; Rabbi Joseph coecus (or as some will a certaine Anonymus) upon some of the Hagiographa. Those Paraphrases of Onkelos and Jonathan are the ancienter and certioris fidei; that upon the Hagiographa is far later and lesse certaine, it being doubtfull both who was the authour, and in what age it was made. The common opinion concerning Onkelos and Jonathan is, that one wrote a little before Christ, the other a little after him. Capellus lib. 1. de punctorum Hebraieorum antiquitote cap. 1. Helvicus de Chaldaicis Paraphrasibus …. 2.
These Paraphrases among the Jewes (saith Helvicus) sunt autoritatis plane aequalis ipsi Scripturae Hebraicae, neque … habent illis contradicere. Quorunt Paraphrasin nemo doctus non suspicit, saith Capellus of Onkelos and Jonathan.
The use of them is very great,Ea lis adhuc sub judice haret, Ebr…ne an Chalda… sit reliquarum mater… & certe Chaldai pro sua non le…ibus militant argumentis, Erpenius. 1 to illustrate the Hebrew Text by circumstances or a more full explication of it. 2. To confirme the integrity of the Hebrew text, Gen. 3. 15. 3. In controversies against the Jewes, In controversiis Judaicis praecipuum robur obtinent, saith Helvicus Gen. 49. 10. The Chaldee Paraphrasts both of them most excellently expound the place, which themselves understood not: being like therein to Virgils Bees, which make Honey for others, and not themselves. First, Onkelos interpreteth it in this manner: A Magistrate exercising authority of the house of Juda shall not depart, nor a Scribe of his posterity for ever, till Christ come, to whom the Kingdome pertaineth, and him shall the people obey. The *Livelie in his Chronology of the Persian Monarchy. Chald…ica lingua in vet. Test. perinde ut & Syra in nov…, purior longè est, quàm ea quibus paraphra…es Chaldai…e conscripta sunt. Wal. ….other called the Interpreter of Jerusalem, thus: Kings of the house of Juda shall not faile, neither skilfull Law-teachers of his posterity, unto the time wherein the King Christ shall come: unto whom the Kingdome pertaineth, and all the Kingdomes of the Earth shall be subdued unto him.The Rabbins generally however they interpret Siloh confesse it notes the Messiah. Joh. Isaac. l. 2. contra Lindanum. If Christ came when authority was gone, and authority went away at Jerusalems fall, needs must one comming of Christ be referred to the overthrow of that City. The Talmundici and latter Rabbines, Rabbi Sal. Jarchi, Rabbi Dav. Kimchi expound it of the Messiah, as Buxtorf shews.
There are many profitable explications in that Paraphase on the Pentateuch, but it is too late to be of authentique authority; Rainoldus de lib. Apoc.and the other Chaldee Paraphrases (that excepted) are besprinkled with Jewish Fables and Thalmundique toyes. The third Paraphrase hath not expounded all the Hagiographall Bookes. For there was never seen any Targum upon Chronicles, nor Daniel nor Ezra; peradventure because much of the Chronicles was expounded in the Bookes of the Kings, Helvicus.and a great part of Daniel and Ezra were written in Chaldee, that there was no need of a new Paraphase.
Onkelos his Paraphrase seldome merits that name, being indeed commonly nothing but a rigid version.
Cudworths discourse concerning the notion of the Lords Supper. Chap 3.
The third Targum of the Pentateuch is named Jerosolymitanum, either from the City whence it came, or from the Tongue in which it was written. Schickardi Bechinath Happeros Schim.
The Greeke Translation of the old Testament.
There is a most ancient rare parchment*Extat in Bibliotheca Serenissimi & Potentissimi Regis nagnae Britanniae, alia ab ea quam habemus translatio Graeca & T. propedi…m edenda utisper amus. Voet. Biblioth. Theol. lib. 2. MS. copy of the Bible in Greeke in our Kings Library at St JAmes, sent to His Majesty that now is by Cyrillus then Patriarke of Alexandria. The Postscripts of the second Epistle to Timothy, and that to Titus in that Manuscript agree in the maine with the Syriacke Testament.
The second to Timothy written from Laodicea; to Titus, written from Nicopolis.
There be divers*Gr…cae multae si erunt vers…nes Scripturarum à varijs authoribus editae. Illa autem est omnium sine controversia longè nobilissima ac celeberrima, cujus septuaginta duo interpretes in Aegypto, Ptolomaei Philadelphi piae voluntati morem gerentes, authores extit…runt. Whitakerus. de Scripturis. Greek translations of the old Testament; that of all the rest is the most famous and Ancient, of which the Seventy-two Interpreters in Egypt (obeying King Ptolemeus Philadelphus his Commandement) were the Authors. It was made not a whole 100 yeares after the death of the Author of Nehemiah, and 300 yeares also before Christ. They are said to be 72 Elders chosen out of every Tribe; they are commonly called seventy, although they were 72, as Bellarmine sheweth where he speakes of their edition, as the Centumviri which were 105. Ptolomeus Philadelphus the most learned of all the Ptolomies, had made a Library at Alexandria which he stored with many thousands of Books, and understanding that the Divine Books of the Prophets full of all good Doctrine, were kept amongst the Jewes, written in their tongue, by the motion of Demetrius Phalerius the best Grammarian of that age, whom Ptolomy had appointed the Library-keeper, he requested of Eleazar the High Priest of the Jewes those Bookes,See Dr. Brown. Enquiries l. 6. c. 1. and Interpreters then 72 Elders of all the Tribes of Israel were sent unto them. All the Latine translations of the Bible (except that of Jerome) were made from it.Rainoldus de lib. Apoc. The EvangelistsaNon sequitur Apostoli usisunt ea editione: ergo est authentica five divina. Nam Paulus usus est etiam prophanorum libr…rum testimonij…, qui tamen proptere à non sunt divini. Caete…um quia scrips…run… Graecè Apostoli, facilè usi sunt ea editione quae tumsola Graecis erat cognita. Chamier. followed the version of the Seventy in many things, which was in the hands of many, and of great authority amongst the Hellenists, when they might doe it without much swerving from the sence of the Prophets, both to shew their Liberty; and that in things indifferent and of little consequence, they would not give occasion of cavill to the wicked, nor of scandall to the weake.
The 70 Interpreters doe manifestly swerve from the Hebrew truth in reckoning of yeares;versio 70. In multis discrepat à fonte Heb…ae… praesert…m in Psalmia. Ger…ardus 2 Pet. 2▪ 5. for Gen. 5. they say that Methuselah was more then 167 yeares old, when he begat Lamech; so that of necessity, they make him live 14 yeares after the floud, which is false, for then were 9 soules saved contrary to Gen. 7.
The Syriacke translation of the New TestamentbAmorem verso…la malumus gnera…e, quam … officina Biblica. Syriaca lingua quasi p…oles quaedam est Hebra…cae & Chaldaicae lingua. Hebraei siquidem, qui usque ad captivitatem Babylonicam Hebraicè solum, id est, lingua sua loqui consueverant, cum abducti essent in Babyl…nem, c… perunt oblivisci ling…am, propriam, & addif…ere alienam, id est, Chaldaicam, quia tamen non perfectè eam pronunciare poterant, & semper aliquid ex Hebraica retmebant, factum est, ut lingua quaedam tertia nasceretur, Syriaca, dicta à regime. Bellarminas. M…dum in scribendo à dextra versus smistram in…r…tsum omnes Populi orientales sequuntur exceptis. comes next to be considered, it is Ancient, yet it is not certain who was the Author thereof, nor in what time it was made; though Chamier thinkes a little after Christs time, the greate elegancy and purity of speech, doth shew that it is Ancient. It is probable that it was made about the beginning of the Christian Church, because the second of Peter, with the second and third of I…hn, Jude, the Revelation, are left out, which though they were written by inspiration, yet they were questioned by Ecclesiasticall writers, because they were omitted by the Syriacke translator.
It is very profitable for the understanding of the Greeke Testament. It w…ll interprets those Greek words, Matth. 6. 10. foreign per panem indigentiae nostrae, and that word foreign 1 Cor. 16. 22. The Syriack hath 2 words Maran Atha, which signifie our Lord cometh. The Papists indeavour to establish their administration of the Lords Supper under one kind from the word foreign 1 Cor. 11. 20. but that word is generally used▪ for the whole action of the Sacrament, viz. the distribution of the Bread and Wine. The Syriacke so renders it Comendentes vos & bibentes. Andreas Masius in his Syriacke Grammar saith that the Syrians doe not write sinistr…rsum toward the left hand, as the Hebrewes, nor dextrorsum toward the right hand, as the Greekes and Latines, but deorsum downward; which manner of writing (it is probable) was then observed by Christ, John 8.*Aethiopibus qui à sinistra dextram versus scribunt Waltherw. 6. because at that time, the Jewes used the Syriacke tongue.
The New Testament in Syriacke is in Latine of Trostius his Edition, the Revelation was de Dieu's Edition, the later Epistle of Peter, and two Epistles of John, and that of Jude, are Pococks Edition.*Piscator. Schol. in loc. & Waltherus in officina Biblica n…vi Testamenti Syram editionem magni faciunt omnes decti. Chamierus.
The Arabique translation.
It is uncertain by whom it was made or when; sure it is, they had the Scriptures in their own tongue; and it were to be wished that that tongue were more common, and better understood; that Religion might be spread amongst the Saracens,The Arabicke Testament was set out by Erpenius. which for the most part speake that language.
In the yeare 1592. the New Testament in Arabicke, was first divulged at Rome.
The Arabicke tongue (saith Walter) is thought to be a branch of the Chaldee and Syriacke proceeding from both,Erpenius saith the Arabicke is Ancienter then the Syria…ke. Waltherus in but that it exceeds them in 6. letters, there being 28. in the Arabicke tongue. It was in use Anciently with the Ishmalites and Hagarenes, who drew their originall from Abraham, and afterward would rather be called Saracens from Sara. It is now used through all Asia and Africa; Mahumed who descended from the Ishmaelitish Nation, wrote his wicked and blasphemous Al…oran in this tongue.
Erpenius *officina Biblica. Orat 1. de Ling. Arab. dignitate.(who was excellently skil'd in this tongue) saith it is more necessary and excellent then either the Syriacke, Aethiopicke, Persian, or Turkish language; he extols it for its antiquity, largenesse, elegancie and profit.
The Arabians (saith he) have many more accurate for Geographie then Ptol…mie; Avice…ma, and other famous Physitians have written in this tongue. He saith 32 thousand of Arabicke Bookes were to be had in one Library in Ma…itania.
Joseph Scaliger, Erpenl…Raphelengius, Isaac Casa…bone, Emmanuell Tremellius, orat. prima & secunda de Ling. Arab. dignitate. Mr. Cudworth cals Mr. Selden the Glory of our Nation for orientall Learning.and Franciscus Junius, all learned men of speciall note much esteemed this tongue, and promoted the study of it, as their writings shew. Mercer who was most versed in the Hebrew and Chaldee tongues, in his old age a little before he died, thought to have travelled into the cast, only out of a desire learne the Arabicke tongue.
The Latine translations were so many that Augustine aQui ex Hebraea lingua Scripturas in Graecam verterum, numerari possunt. Latini autem nullo modo August. de doctrina Christiana l. 2. c. 11.saith, they could not be numbred.
That new version of Tremellius and Junius both, is best for the old Test and that of Erasmus and Be…a for the New Testament. See in Chamiers first tome l. 12. c. 1. his censure of all 3.
There is a great use also of the Interlineary version put forth by Arias Montanus, for the finding out the sence, and genuine signification of all the Hebrew and Greek words.
Amongst many and divers Latine translations, there was one more common then the rest of the Old and New Te…ament, usually called the vulgar, because it was of vulgar use, and received by many. Who was the Author of this Edition, it is not manifest. Some say it was more Ancient, then that of Jerome; Jerome wrote purebMaldon. ad Luc. 16. 1. & Eslius ad 1 Cor. 5. 6. & ad Ephel. 1. 10. Latine, being skilfull in the Latine tongue, but the vulgar trans…ation is barbarous in many places. Therefore Pagnine, *Hieronymus Latinitaris auctor est non contemnendus, qui in omnibus scriptis sui… sermone utitur grammaticès pu…o. Quam barbara contra sit versio vulg. res ipsa loquitur. ut mirum sit Jesuitas elegantiae Latinae aliàs studiosissimos vulgatam illam translationem vel hoc nomine non improbasse. Waltherus in officina Biblica. Of the Authenticall Edition of the Scripture.Maldonate, Es…ius, Sixtus Senensis, Burgensis, Valla, Lindon deny it to be Jeromes: that was translated from the Hebrew by the Greek, and not by Jerome, but by some uncertaine and unknown Authour saith Whitaker.
Bootius in the Index of his Sacred Animadversions, ascribes it to Jerome.
Vide Whitakerum de Scripturis Quoest. secund. controversiae.
Cap. Sexto. & Waltheri officinam Biblicam.
The Geneva translation for the French, and our last translation for the English, and Deodate for the Italian are the best, which is now set out in English, Diodatus noster in eximia Bibliorum Italicorum versione, saith Spanbemius.
The question betwixt us and the Papists, now cometh to be considered, which of these Editions is authenticall, that is, which of it selfe hath credit and authority, being sufficient of it selfe to prove and commend it selfe, without the help of any other Edition, because it is the first exemplar or Copy of divine truth delivered from God by the Prophets and Apostles. This in respect of the old Testament is the Hebrew and in some Chapters of Daniel and Esra the Chaldee, and in respect of the New Testament is the Greeke, all other Editions are but of humane authority.
This proposition true in it selfe, is yet divers wayes opposed by the Papists, whose opinions may be set downe in three propositions.
1. That the Hebrew and Greeke Text are corrupt, and therefore not*Bellarm. l. 2. de verbo Dei c. 2. and Rhemists Preface before the new Testament. Authenticall, for the fountaine is to be preferred before the streames if it come unto our hands uncorruptly. The Book of Moses aFatear equidem & à me dissentiet opinor, nemo, Apostolorum & Prophetarum foreign regulam esse & amussim ad quam versiones omnes exigendae sint. Morinus exercit. Bibl. la. exercit. l. 1. exercit. 1. c. 1.which by Gods Commandement was preserved in the Arke, and that very Gospell written by Matthew, those autographs (saith Morinus) are certainely the rule of all versions.
The second proposition is, that the 70. Translaters, were not so much Translaters as Prophets, who wrote by divine inspiration, so that their translation had been authentique, if it had come to our hands purely and had not perished.
The third is, that the vulgar Translation is of authentique authority, and ought so to be received, neither may any man presume to reject it upon any pretence; they say it hangeth betweene the Hebrew and Greek as Christ did between the two Theeves.
To these 3. Propositions we oppose 3. which are most true, and shall prevaile.
1. The Hebrew of the old TestamentaScriptura Hebraea in v. …. & Graeca in N. T. ab Hierony morectè vocantur fontes veritatli. and the Greeke of the new is the authentique Edition, and the pure fountain of divine truth.
2. The 70. were not Prophets, but Translators.
3. The vulgar translation neither is authenticall nor perfect, neither ought it in any case so to be esteemed.
Reasons Proving that the Hebrew of the old Testament, and the Greeke of the New, are authenticall and pure.
To prove our first Proposition, these arguments may be brought.
The Hebrew of the old, and Greek*In Ecclesia Christiana nulla unquam fuit Editio authemica, excepta Hebraica veteris, & Graeca Novi Testamenti. Nam id opinor in ecclesia catholica dicendum est authenticum, quod apud omnes authoritatem in habet. Chamierus. of the New Testament, are the very Scriptures, which came immediately from God; the very particular, and individuall writings, both for Character and stile of Speech, yea, the dialect as well as the matter of them is immediately by inspiration from from above, and written by holy men, as they were moved by the holy spirit; what Edition therefore is worthy to be compared to this.
When we speake of the originall and authenticke Text of the Holy Scripture, that is not to be so understood as if we meant it of the Autographs written by the hand of Moses, or the other Prophets or Apostles, but onelyonly of the originall * or the primogeniall Text in that tongue, out of which divers versions aRivetus in Catholico orthodoxo… Scripturae dupliciter intel ligitur; vel enim significat ipsam literarum picturam & sic accipitur Exod. 32. 16. vel res ipsas, qua significantur per eas voces ut Matth. 22. 25. Aeque Biblia Sacra nuncupantur codices illi qui passim circumf…untur Latinè, Gallicè, Chaldaicè, Syriacè; ac qui Hebraicè & Graecè, etsi longè alij sint literarum ductus & syllabarum compositiones. Chamierus de Canone l. 9.were derived according to the variety of tongues.
2. For a long time before the Birth of Chirst, the Hebrew was not only the alone authentique Copy, but the only Edition which was extant in the world. In the dayes of Moses, the Kings of Israel and the Prophets before the Captivity, what Edition of Scripture had the Church but the Hebrew? what did the Jewes read in their Synagognes, and in their solemne meetings, but onelyonly this Hebrew Edition?
After the time of Christ, for the space of 600 yeeres, the Hebrew Edition of the old Testament, and the Greeke of the new, were held Authentique, and no other.
3. If any thing be erroneous, doubtfull, lesse emphaticall, or improper, or if in the Articles of religion any doubt or difficulty arise, which cannot be decided out of translations; we must necessarily then have recourse to the Hebrew of the old, and the Greeke of the new Testament, as Augustine bde doctrina Christiana l. 2. C. 11. Si translatio ab originali dissentit, ei linguae potius credendum est unde in aliam per interpretationem facta est translatio. Augustinus l. 15. de Civitate Dei c. 3.witnesseth, and Jerome in lib. Contra Helvidium.
Beliarmine grants that sometimes we must have recourse to the Hebrew & Greek fountaines, 1. When in the Latine Edition there be any errours of the Scribe. 2. When there are divers readings. 3. When there is any thing doubtfull in the words of sentence. 4. To understand the force and Energy of the word, because all things are more emphaticall in the originall.
4. If the authority of the authenticall Copies in Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek fall, then there is no pure Scripture in the Church of God, there is no high court of appeale where controversies *…eronymus & coaevus ei Augustmus diffi. ulteribus in versionibus ob…r…is, jubent nos recurrere ad ipsos fontes. Er…en us.(ri…ing upon the diversity of translations, or otherwise) may be ended. The exhortation of having recourse unto the Law and to the Prophets, and of our Saviour Christ asking how it is written, and how readest thou, is now either of none effect, or not sufficient.
The Papists differ among themselves in this controversie aBellarm. lib. 2. de verbo Dei cap. 7. Morinus exercit, Bibl. l. 1. exercit 1. c. 2. 3. 4.about the corruption of the originals, some of them say that the Hebrew of the old, and the Greeke of the New Testament is not generally corrupted, and yet is not so very pure a fountain, that whatsoever differs from it, is necessarily to be corrected by it.
OthersbAs Canus l. 2. c. 13. de locis Theologi… is Lind…nus l. 1. c. 11. de optimo genere interpret. say that the Jewes in hatred of the Christian faith depraved and much corrupted the Hebrew Text of the Old Tes…ament. Which opinion as absurd is rejected by Bellarmine, and is easily refuted.
I shall first lay down some reasons against the grosser opinion, and also that of Bellarmines, before I come to answer the particular objections of the Papists.
1. Jerome and Origen thus argue, if the Jewes corrupted the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament, then they did this before the coming of Christ or after it, not before his coming, for there was no cause why the Jewes should do it, and our Saviour Christ would never have suffered so grosse a crime to have passed without due reproof, when he was not silent for lesser faults. On the contrary our Saviour sendeth us to the Scripture to learn the doctrine of salvation, Luke 16. 29. and proveth his doctrine out of Moses and the Prophets. Not after Christs coming, then the Testimonies cited … Christ, and his Apostles would have been expunged by them, and the speciall prophesies concerning Christ, But they are all extant. The Jewes have and yet still doe keep the holy TextcNoriffimum est, nulla in resuisse Judeeos tam curiosos, pios & religiesè observantes, quam ut Biblia sua casta, pura, inviolata que co…servarent. Nam illud mandatum Dei, quod Deut. c 4. v. 2. legitur, non solum de quinque Moysis l…bris dictum esse imerpretantur, sed in universum de omnibus l…bris & verbis quae per Spiritum Sanctum Prophetae ludaeis Communica…unt, intelligunt. Insuper multis ab ipsis Judaeis san…itum est legibus, cum, qui aliquid in Biblii… mutit, pecsatum committere inexpiabrle. Quin & hoc ad jecerunti siquis velex ignoran… ìa, & impietat… unum vocabulum mutet, ne totus propter…t mundus pereat, & in foreign vertatur periculum esse. Ha… autem sententiae sue causas adduxerunt, quòd credant Deum Opt. Max. propter solam Scripturam sacram (quam ipsi opinionem var…is sodis probant) hunc mundum creasse. Johannes Isaacus contra Lindanum l. 2. p. 66. 67. 18. of Scripture most religiously & carefully, which may appeare, since (as Johannes Isaac contra Lind in. l. 2. a Learned Jew writeth) that there are above 200 arguments against the Jewes opinion, more evident and expresse in the Hebrew Text of the old Testament, then there be in the Latine translation. From the dayes of our Saviour Christ untill this time, the Jewes keep the Scripture with so great reverence (saith the same Isaac) ut jejunium indicunt si illa in terram ceciderit, they publish a Fast if it fall upon the ground. This Testimony of Isaac Levita is the more to be esteemed,Tu illos accede, & urge disputatione; ducenta tibi argumenta ex Biblijs contra illos supp…tunt, quae in textu Hebraeo clariora & dil…id…ora, quam ulla c…nversione inveniuntur. Id. ib. p. 77 because he was Lindans own Master and professor of the Hebrew tongue in the university of Coolen, and hath written 3. Bookes in the defence of the Hebrew truth against the cavils of his Scholler. Arias M…ntanus for his rare skill of tongues and arts, was put in trust by King Philip to set forth the Bible in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, wherein he hath reproved that Treatise of Lindan, and disclosed his folly. Muis (who hath written a Commentary on the Psalmes) a great Hebrician and learned Papist hath written against Morinus about this Subject. The most learned Papists, Senensis, Bannes, Lorinus, Pagnine, Brixianus, Valla, Andradius, and Bellarmine, hold,R Ben. Maimon saith, if in the copying of the Hebrew Bible, one letter wee written twice, or if one letter but touched another that Copy was not admitted into their Synagognes, but onelyonly allowable to be read in Schooles and private families. that the Jews did not maliciously corrupt the hebrew text.
Josephus l. 1. contra Appian (who lived after our Saviour) saith, that the Jewes did keep the holy Scripture with so great fidelity, that they would rather dye then change or alter any thing in it. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. cap. 10. teacheth the same thing. The Stupendious diligence of the Massorites, in numbring of the words and Letters, with the variations of pointing and writing, l…st any place or suspicion should be given of falsifying it, seemes to be a good plea also against the Jewes wilfull depraving of Scripture: Paulo post Hieronymum confecta est massora, quam utilissimum thesaurum Arias appella… Chamierus.
If Origen, or Jerome (the two chiefest Hebricians among the Fathers) had had the least suspicion of this, they would never have bestowed so much time in the learning of this tongue, nor have taken such indefatigable paines, in translating the Bibles out of Hebrew. Yet Morinus would seeme to give answer to this, viz. that we might convince the Jewes out of their own Books. Jerome doth in a thousand places call it the Hebrew truth, & fontem limpidissimum, and preferres it before the translation of the Septuagint, and all other versions whatsoever. He cals the Hebrew in the old and Greek in the New Testament, fontes veritatis. Farther if the Jewes would have corrupted the Scripture they could*Non potuerum Judaei Scripturas corrumpere. Augustinus ex exemplarium Bibliorum multitudine id probat l. 15. de Civitate Dei cap. 13. Absit (inquiens) ut prudent aliquis Judaeos cujustibet perversitatis atque malitiae tantum potuisse credat in codicibus tam multis, & tam longè latèque dispersis. Potis…ima ratio à singulari providentia divina deducitur▪ Glassius l. 1. Tract. 1. de textus Heb. in v. T. puritate. Sect. secunda, not, for the Books were dispersed throughout the whole world; how could the Jewes then being so farre dispersed themselves, conferre together, and corrupt them all with one consent? The Books were not onelyonly in the hands of the Jewes, but of Christians also and in their Custody; and they would never have suffered the Books of the old Testament, which are the foundation of faith and life to be corrupted. Adde, if the Jewes would have corrupted the Scripture, they would have corrupted those places which make most against them, concerning Christs person, and office; as that prophesie, 9. of Dan. of the Messiahs coming before the destruction of Jerusalem, that Hag. 2. 9. which setteth out the glory of the second Temple, to be greater then the glory of the first, in regard of the presence of the Lord in it: that Gen. 49. 10. who is such a stranger in the Jewish controversies as to be Ignorant how stoutly and pertinaciously many of the Jewes deny, that by Shilo there is understood the Messias? but the threefold Paraphrase there hath expressely added the word Messias, and stops the mouths of the Jewes, who must not deny their authority, so that they feare nothing more then to*Amoma Antibarb. Bibl. l. 1. contest with those Christians, who read and understand the Chaldee Paraphrases, and interpretations of the Rabbines. See Master Mede on that Text.
Psalme 2. 12. where the vulgar Latine hath apprehendite disciplinam (quae lectio nihil magnificum de Christo praedicat) the Hebrewes read osculamini filium, which is more forcibleaIpse Bellarminus fatetur, ex Textu Hebrae… Judaeos fortius constringi & vexari saepius pesse, quam ex versione Latina. to prove the mystery of Christs Kingdome, and celebrate his ample dominion over all.
That place 53. of Esay containes both the prophesie, and whole passion of Christ in it selfe. Yet what is wanting there in the Hebrew Text? is there a letter taken away or altered, to violate the sense of the mysteries? Isaac Levita *l. 2. contra Lind. p. 82.saith that this Chapter converted him, that he read it over more then a thousand times, and compared it with many translations, and that more of the mystery of Christ is contained in it, than in any translation whatsoever.
He addeth further, that disputing with five Rabbines at Frankford, he urged this Chapter against them, and thereby brought them into those straights, and so stopped their mouths, that they could not reply to his arguments. We have the second Psalme, the 21. the 110. and all others entire and complete, in which there are most manifest*Quid illustrius de Christi Messiae nostri diei potest exhibitione, quam istud Esa. 7. 14. Esa. 9. 6. Quid de passione ejus acerba & resurrectione gloriosa splendidius dici potest, quam quod in Esa. 53. cap. dicitur, i…em que in Psal. 22. Nec tamen corruptelam vel hi…, vel permul…is aliss Scripturaelocis ullam fuissé à Judaeis illatam deprehendere possi…mus. Glassius Philol. Sac. prophesies concerning Christ.
There are many besides the Papists, who have stood for the uncorrupt truth of the fountaines and have defended the Jews faithfulnesse in preserving the Hebrew Copies, as Whitaker, Lubbertas, Junius, Ames, Rivet and others. But none hath performed more for the vindicating of particular places, which are either suspected, or openly charged of corruption by certain Papists, then Salomon Glassius a most learned man, who in his Philologia sacra hath vindicated 72 places of the Old Testament, and 20. of the New.
All know that that place in the 7th of Esay a virgin shall conceive was constantly objected to the Jewes from the beginning, and yet they have left it untouched. Chamier de Canone. l. 12. c. 4, Objections of the Papist against the purity of the Hebrew Text in the old Testament.
Bellarmine aL. …. de verbo Dei c. 2.onelyonly produceth 5. places of Scripture, in which he indevours to prove not that the Hebrew text is corrupted by the labour or malicebAlijs occurrendum videtur, qui zelo quidem bono, sed nescio an secundum scientiam, omnino contendunt, Judaeos in odium Christianae fidei fludiosè depravasse & corrupisse multa loca Scripturarum. Bellarm. de verbo Dei l. 2. c. 2. of the Jewes, (that opinion he evidently and solidly refutes) yet that it is not altogether pure and perfect, but hath its errours brought in from the negligence of the Scribes, and Ignorance of the Rabbines.
Cotton saith the originals are miserably corrupted; and that there is a multitude almost incredible of depravations, and falsifications made by the Rabbines and Massorites.
But Bellarmine who was more learned than he, and from whom he hath stollen a great part of his Book against the Genevah translations, doth sufficiently confute him.
Ob. Ps. 22. 16. There is no Christian, but he readeth foreign Caru they have pierced my hands and my feet, yet it is in the Hebrew foreign Caari as a Lion.
Sol. This is the onelyonly argument*Nullum habet Lindanus argumentum, quod vel faciem qu… dam veritatis habeat prater hoc. Vt veritatem sateamur, hoc vocabulum ab annis decem non parum nos tòrsit, maximam que suspicionem praebuit, ut omnino corruptum esse crederemus. Johannes Isaacus contra Lind. l. 2. p. 102. Ego profecto ausim praestare praeter locum Psalmi 22. in to…is Hebraeis Codicibus inveniri nihil, quod optimam, Cohaerentem, P…am & Christianae fidei prorsus congruentem non habeat sententiam. Muis de Hebraicae editionis authoritate ad veritate. Voici l' unique lieu, en tout l' Hebrien, qui semble au…ir apparence de raison, pour faire penfer à une malicieuse entrepri…se de Juifs. Benedict. Turretin response à la Preface de Coton. which Lindon hath of any shew, to prove that the Jewes have corrupted the H…brew Text saith Rainolds against Hart; Whitaker saith hoc unum posse ab illis probabile in fontibus Hebraicis corruptelae jundicium inveniri. The same say John Isaac against Lindan, Muis against Morinus, Turretinus against Coton.
But it is easie (saith Whitaker) to vindicate this place from their calumnie. For first learned men witnesse, that Caru is read in many Hebrew Books. John Isaac, a Popish Jew in his second Book against Lindan witnesseth, that he saw such a Book. Hoc idem ego Johannes Isaac ipsa veritate & bona conscientia testari possum, quòd hujusmodi Psalterium apud avum meum viderim, ubi in textu scriptum erat. foreign & in margine foreign Et ita omnia olim exemplaria habuisse, haud dubite. Hinc itaque manifestum esse puto, cur septuaginta etalij transtulerint, foderunt. Siquidem illi non Keri sed Ketif sunt secuti. The Massorites say it was written Caru in many exact Copies. It is not therefore a corruption, but a divers reading in certain Copies by the mistake of the Scribes, as Bellarmine himself confesseth. Apparet (saith he) imprudenter quosdam, dum se Hebraeos oppugnare credunt, ecclesiam ipsam oppugnare. Si enim illae correctiones Scribarum sunt Hebraici textus corruptiones, sequitur apertè, vulgatam quoque editionem esse corruptissimam: quam tanten nobis Ecclesia pro versione authentica tradidit. Bellarm. l. 2. de verbo Dei c. secundo.
Genebrard the Kings professor of Hebrew in Paris on the place concludes that the Jewes did not corrupt this word. Vide sil in loc.
The Chaldee Paraphrast hath joyned both readings together q. d. they have digged or pierced my hands and my Feet as a Lion is wont to dig with his Teeth. Varia lectio est in Biblijs Hebraeis in locis 848. Broughton de translat.
Morinus, a learned Papist hath writt n 9. exercitations on the Bible, and labours to prove from Beza, Amama, de Dieu and other Protestant writers, that there are many faults in the Hebrew and Greek Copies which we now have. Muis a Papist also hath answered him.
Ob. Psal. 19. 4.*Vide Rivetum in Comment. & Glassium in Philol. Sac. The Caldee paraphrase agrees with the Hebrew. Profesto haec res, ut ingenuè fatear, me quo que aliquando torsit. Amussis, quae funiculo constat, non omnino voce caret, siquidem architecti & alij artifices, quando aliquid signare aut metiri volunt, dum amussem vel funiculum extendunt, & deinde m tiunt, sonum quendam edere Consueverunt. Isaacus Levita l. 3. contra Lindanum. Illa Coelorum linea, vel ut. Tremellias transtulit, delineatio, id est illa Machina, structuraque orbium Coelestium, quodammodo ad amussi… expolita, insinitam artificis Potentiam, sapientiamque praedicat Whitakerus The Hebrew Books have, in omnem terram exivit linea eorum, their line is gone forth through all the earth, but the Septuagint turn it foreign. Hierome, sonus eorum, their sound, and Saint Paul approved of this version, Rom. 10. 18.
Sol. Whitaker in his answer to this objection, follows Genebrard in his Scholia upon the place, and Genebrard follows Beza on the 10. of the Rom. 18.
The Hebrew word (say they) truly signifieth a line, but the Septuagint Interpreters respected the sence, and the Apostle followed them. The scope of the Psalme is, that Gods people may see what documents are given unto them of God, whereby they may be brought, and led to the true, certain, and saving knowledge of God, to the 7. verse; it sheweth how they were taught by the works of God, thence to the end; they were instructed by his word; the Apostle alledgeth this Psalme to prove that the Jewes might come to know God by his word, and thereby might have faith in Christ Jesus; the sense therefore is not onelyonly the delineation and constitution of things created, but also the word of God, and the doctrine of the Gospell, long since propounded to the Jewes, and so propounded as they could not but heare, because it was published openly to all the whole world by the mystery of the holy Apostles out of the predictions of the Prophets. Paul interprets the comparison propounded by the Prophet and teacheth, that as certainly as the lines of heaven run forth into all the earth, so certainly in these last times, the doctrine of the Gospell came forth into all the earth by the Apostles preaching, and therefore the Apostle did not rashly change the word of the Prophet, because the Hebrew Text in the Prophet was corrupt, but purposely in stead of delineation the Apostle put in sonus, having respect to the present accomplishment of the promise, whereby God had foretold, that all the Gentiles should be converted to the communion of the Gospell; and to this end he did foreshew that he would give unto them preachers.
Coton urgeth 2 other places, to shew that the Hebrew Text is corrupted, 2 Matth 23. and 27. of Matthew.
Ob. 2 Matth. 23. He shall be called a*Or he shall be called a flower or branch. Weemes. Esaiae undecimo, est in Hebraeo vox Ne…zer quae alludit ad Nazaraeum, imò est ab eadem radice; proinde poterit, si quis velit, eo referri; ant certè non erit versio sed allusio. Itaque melior eorum videtur sententia qui indicatum potius censent decimum tertium capu… Judicum, ubi praedicitur Samson futurus Nazaraeus: fuisse. enim Illum typum Christi nemo dubitat. Chamienus tomo 1o de Canone. l. 13. c. 8. Ex Esaia 11. 1. & Zach. 6. 12. Commodissimè videtur possè exponi Casaub. in exercitat. Nazarene is no where found, though the Evangelist say that it is written, therefore it followeth (saith he) that the Hebrew originall which we have is imperfect.
Sol. Saint Jerome saith that this place was objected to him ab…ve a hundred times, and that he hath as often answered it, viz that if the Hebrew be imperfect having no such passage; then is also that of the Septuagint and the vulgar; so that the objection is not against the Hebrew, but against the Scripture in what language soever it be. M…ldonat, after he had well weighed divers opinions, holds that of Jeromes for the most sure, which is to draw Nazarene from Netzer a branch, Esay 11. 1. Junius in his paralels; Piscator, Dr. Taylor, Master Dod goe the same way. Chrysostome and Theophylact, because they cannot undoe this knot, cut it, thus, saying that many of the Books of the Prophets are lost. Bucer thinketh that place Judg. 15. 5. is here noted, Samson being a Redeemer as he was a figure of Christ, and the Book of the Judges was composed by divers Prophets. Calvin▪ Marlorat, Beza Scultetus, and Master Perkins seeme to incline to this opinion.
Our last large Annotations mention both these Interpretations, but adhere rather to the former.
Ob. The second place urged by Cotton, to prove the corruption of the Hebrew is 27. of Matthew v. *Omnes Interpretes locum illum a Matth. citatum ad ea quae Scripsit Zacharias re…ulerunt, nec aliqui eorum de omisso aliquo Jeremiae prophetice libro cogitarum. Nisi quod unus est inter Jesuitus qui locum exist…mat ex duobus constatum, nempe ex Jeremiae cap. 32. & Zachar c. 11. & hoc. esse usitatum in Scriptura exemplis probat, ut cum verba & testimonia duorum sunt, aut altero omisso alterius tantum nomen exprimatur, aut totum testimonium, quasi unius tantum esset, significetur. Haec Jesuita Sanctius (in Zach. Cap. 11.) Hieronymo haec maximè placuit solutio, quam Baronius amplectitur, ut & Jansenius, Maldonatus, & Suarez, Matthaeum suo more tantum posuisse quod dictum est per Prophetam, ab aliquo autem in margine scriptum fuisse Jeremiam, quod postea scriptorum incogitantia intertextū irrepserit. Ad hoc facit, quod in Syra versione nomen prophetae omittitur. Rivetus in Catholico Orthodoxo. Citantur sub nomine Jeremiae, velquia Zacharias ea à Jeremia, cujus discipulus fuerat, acceperat, vel quia idem binominis fuit, praesertim, … utriusque nominis fit eadem significatio. Id. ibid.9. The Evangelist cites Jeremie for that which is to be found onelyonly in Zacharie.
Sol. Junius in his paralels and Doctor Taylor on the temptation bring 6. answers to reconcile these places.
1. Some say it joynes together both, one place in Jeremy, Chap. 18. 1. 2, 3. and that of Zacharie; but there is little or no agreement between them. Secondly Some say, that it is not in Jeremies writings which are Canonicall, but in some Aprocryphall writings of Jeremy which the Jewes had, and which Chrysostome confesseth he saw, wherein these words were; but it is not likely, that the holy Evangelist would leave a Canonicall Text, and cite an Apocryphall, or give such credit to it, or seek to build our faith upon it; and by our rule, that Book should be Canonicall, which is cited by Christ or his Apostles. 3. Some say that Matthew forgat, and for Zachary put downe Jeremies; so Augustine, and Erasmus; but with more forgetfulnesse, for holy men wrote as they were moved by Gods Spirit. 4. Some thinke it the errour of heedlesse writers, who might easily so erre; but all the oldest Copies, and the most Ancient Fathers have the name of Jeremy. 5. Some say that Zachariah being Instructed and trained up with Jeremy did deliver it by tradition from Jeremy, and so Jeremy spake it by Zachariah, which might be true, because it is said in the Text, as was spoken by Jeremy, not written. But sixthly, the most compendious and likely way of reconciling is this; that Zachary and Jeremy was the same man having 2 names, which was very usuall among the Jewes, as Salomon was called Jedidiah, Iehoiacim Jeconias and Coniah; Simon; Peter, Cephas, and Bariona; Matthew, Levi. So farre Junius, and Doctor Taylor. See Mr. Robert Baily on Zach. 3. 1. 2. p. 11. and last large Annotat.
The best of the Popish writers cannot deny,Jeremie and Zacharie differ not much in signification, one signifieth the commemotation of God, the other the exaltation of God. but that the name Jeremy the Prophet is put for Zachary, either through the negligence of the Scribes, or else it was inserted into the Text out of the Margent, the Evangelist saying no more, but that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, as both Ians…nius and Maldmate in loc. doe confesse.
1 Chamier distinguisheth of a twofold depravation, one of Interpretation, herein we excuse not, nor defend the Jewes. Second of the letter, herein they are to be patroniz'd against the Papists,Hic nodus vetustissimos quosque interpretes torsit. Beza ln literarum compendūs facile potuit foreign in foreign mutari. Id ibid. Aliqui dicuut esse errorem calami et librarioram indili…eniet oscitan…erque exemplaria sibi proposita aut legentium aut exscribentium, ut si quis hîc foreign l gerit, id, est foreign pro foreign quam sememiam Syrus & Arabs videntur confirmare. Sed vetustas ipsa & consensus omnium exemplarint, quae jam olim versata sunt in Patrum Orthodoxorum manibus, videtur nobis meritò hoc defensionis genus extorquere; quod etiam agnovit memoria sua Hieronymus. lun. in Paralel. Vide Sixti Senensis lib. Saxtum annotat. 131.who thorow their sides, strike at the very Scriptures, and labour to overthrow their authority.
The Hebrew Edition then (notwithstanding these and such like frivolous objections) is sincere and uncorrupt, and if any errours crept in through negligence or Ignorance of the Pennien, which Copyed out the Bookes, yet Bellarimine himselfe granteth they ar… of no great moment; in matters pertaining to saith and manners, (saith he) there is nothing wanting in the integrity of the Scriptures. Haud negare ausim, & temporum injuria & descriptorum iucuria errata quadam & sphalmata in textum hebraum irrepsisse. Am…ma Antibarb. bibl. What reasons can the Jesuites alledge, why the Hebrew and the Greeke, which kept their integrity 400 yeares together after Christ, amidst as bitter Enemies as ever they had, as troublesome and tempestuous times as ever were since, should after in time of lesse danger, and greater quiet, loose not their beauty onelyonly, but their Chastity also. And we marvell that the Jesuites are not afraid to suffer this blot to fall upon their Popish government; which boasteth and saith it is the pillar of truth, and yet hath had no better care to preserve the truth.
Objections of the Papists against the purity of the Greeke Text in the New Testament.
Ob. They instance in Rom. 12. 11. to be corrupt, the Greek hath serving the time foreign for serving the Lord foreign.
Sol. Many of the ancient Greek*The Greeke Scholiast, Oecumenius, so reade Chrysost. and Theophylact, and Basill. See Par in locum Franciscus Lucas restatur se sex Graeco… codites vidisse in quibus esset foreign. & Beza asserit ita legi in probatissimis quibusque… Arias Montanus, non tantùm in textu posuit foreign, sed etiam in Apparatu nullam adnoravit lectionis varictatem, quo satis ostendit se nullos legisse codices Graecos, in quibus esset foreign alias non omissurus opinor, qui longe leviora collegit. Chamierus. Copies and Scholiasts have also foreign as Salmerond the Jesuite confesseth, serving the Lord, and it appeareth in the Syriacke translation: and who seeth not, that it might rather be an oversight of the writer taking one word for another, rather then a fault in the Text; and the cause of the mistake (saith Beza) was the short writing of the word foreign, which was taken by some for foreign whereas they should have taken it for foreign. If we should admit the other reading, we must not understand the Apostle as if he commanded us to be temporizaers, or to apply our selves to the corrupt customes and manners of the times; but to keep time in all our actions, and doe them in the fittest season, as Col. 4. 5. Ephes. 5. 16.
Ob. Erasmus the best translator of all the later (by the judgement of Beza) saith, that the Greek sometimes hath superstuities corruptly added to the Text of holy Scripture, as Matth. 6. The doxologie, for thine is the Kingdome, the power and the glory for ever and ever. He calleth these words trifles, rashly added to the Lords Prayer, and reprehends Valla for blaming the old vulgar Latine, because it hath them not. Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine doe expound the Lords Prayer, and yet make no mention of these words. Beza confesseth it to be magnificam illam quidem & sanctificam, a most high and holy forme of expression, sed irrepsisse in contextum, & quae in vetustissimis aliquot codicibus Graecis desit, See Mr. Gregory his Observations upon some passages of Scripture Ch. 38.it is not to be found in that vetustissimus codex by Beza to the university Library of Cambridge; that Copy perhaps was corrupted by the Heretickes.
It is not presently trifles, whatsoever Erasmus or any other man shall reject out of the Greek Copy under that name, and yet they doe Erasmus wrong, to say that he called that part of the Lords Prayer trifles absolutely; for he stiles it so conditionally, if it be not part of the Ancient Text.
2. If Erasmus had understood that that passage had beene taken out of the Book of Chronicles written by the penne of the holy Ghost,Cartw. in his answer, to the Rhemists preface. he would no doubt have taken heed how he had called this conclusion of the Lords Prayer trifles, for it appeareth manifestly, that this sentence was borrowed from David, 1 Chron. 29. 11. with some Abridgement of the Prophets words.
3. That cannot be superstuous without the which we should not have had a perfect form of Prayer;Coronis precationis Dominicae Qua tuum est regnum, &c. Etsi in multis Graecis codicibus & apud Syrum quoque interpretem reperitur, tamen, Bezâ referente, in vetustissi…is aliquibus Graecis codicibus deest, & à nemine expenitur, praeterà vulgato & à Chrysostomo. Deest quoque in versione Arabica, nec in ullis Latinorum exemplaribus visitur: ut non immeritò Erasmus conjectet, ex solemni consuetudine à Graecis adjectam & postea in Textum ipsum fuisse translatam. Scultetus in locum. for since Prayer standeth as well in praising of God and thanksgiving, as in petitions and requests to be made unto him; it is evident that if this conclusion had beene wanting, there had wanted a forme of that Prayer which standeth in praise and thanksgiving.
4. If to give a substantiall reason of that which goeth before be superfluous, then this conclusion may be so.
5. For confirmation of this reading, we may alleadge besides the consent of the Greek Copies, the Syrian interpretation which is very Ancient. Chrysostome, Theophylact, and Euthymius expound it. The Lords Prayer in Luke is perfect in respect of the Petitions, yet nothing hindereth but that in Matthew might be added the confirmation and conclusion; Matthew hath many other things in his Gospell, which Luke hath not.
Salmeron reproves Cajetan for calling this Multil…quium, since there is a notable confession of 4 properties of God, his Kingdome, Power, Glory, and Eternity.
I should now shew, that neither the translation of the Seventy, nor of the vulgar Latine are authenticall; but there are two questions of great moment, first to be discussed.
The first is, whether any Bookes of the Scripture be lost.
The second, whether the Scripture of the Old Testament was punctata from the beginning.
To the first question, that we may give a right answer; we must distinguish of the Bookes of Scripture, some were Historicall, Ethicall, or Physicall,*Spanhe… Dub. Evang. parte Tertia. Dub. 130. Codices sacros in excidio Hierosylimitano prorsus intercidisse commentum est, non veritas, Id. parte secunda. Dub. 89. That was too confidently spoken by Whitaker, (though otherwise a worthy writer) Canonica quaedam perijsse, credo esse. enminem qui dubitet. Psal. 111. 8. Cartw. in his answer to the Preface of the Rhem Test. Nego canonem, id est, numerum librorum sacrorum, ex quo confectus est, unquam fuisse majorem, quam sit bodie. Chamier…. others Dogmaticall. The former might perish and fall away but not the latter. Therefore that common objection of divers Books mentioned in the Old Testament, whereof we finde none so intituled in the Canon thereof, is easily answered. Either they were Civill and common-wealth Stories, whether the Reader is referred if it like him to read the stories more at large, which the Prophets touched shortly; or else they are contained in the Books of the Kings, which are manifestly proved to be written by divers Prophets in their severall ages, wherein they prophesied. Salomons Books which he wrote of generall Philosophy fell away, but all the other Books of the Scripture do still remain. First, they are all of God, all whose works remain for ever, therefore the holy Scriptures being not onelyonly his handy-work, but as it were the chief and Master-work of all other, must have a continuall endurance.
Secondly, they all are written generally for our instruction, and more particularly for admonition and warning, for comfort and consolation, unlesse we will say that God may be deceived in his purpose and end wherefore he ordained them; it must needs be, that it must continue whatsoever hath been written in that respect.
Thirdly, if the Lord have kept unto us the whole Book of Leviticus, and (in it) the ceremonies (which are abolished, and whereof there is now no practice) because they have a necessary and profitable use in the Church of God;Vide Alting. problem. Theol. partem prim. & 6. prob. Drufium de quaesitis per Epistolam Epist. 101. Sec B. Vsher… Bodie of Divinity p. 17. how much more is it to be esteemed, that his providence hath watched over other Books of the Scripture, which more properly belong unto our times?
Fourthly, let us heare the Scripture it self, witnessing of it own authority and durablenesse to all ages; Deut. 2…. 29.Moses thus writeth of it; The secret and hidden things remain to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed to us and our Children for ever.Psal. 119. 152. David also professeth, that he knew long before, that the Lord had founded his testimonies for ever-more.Matth. 24. 35. But our Saviour Christs testimony is of all other most evident: Mat. 13. 32.That heaven and earth shall passe,Matth. 5. 18. but that his word cannot passe: And yet more vehemently,Luke 16. 17. that not one jot, or small letter, prickaCui ignorata non scrupulosa tantùm sed & superstitiosa prorsus Judaeorum anxietas non in libris tantùm sed in apicib… librorum sacrorum numerandis, conferendis, custodiendis? & tantum abest ut volumen sacrum integrum interversum voluerint, ut contra profite antur totum mundum …uiturum in Tohu va Bohu antiquum, si vel una vox in Scriptura mutetur. Spanhem. Dub. Evang. parte secunda Dub. 89. or stop of his Law can passe untill all be fulfilled. Rom 15. 4. therefore none of those which were written for that end, are lost.
Origen in praefat. in Cant. Canticorum, Augustine l. 18. de civitate Dei. c. 38. thought it could not neither stand with the Divine providence, nor with the honour of the Church, that any Canonicall Books, and given for such to the Church, should be lost. Of this opinion are many worthy moderne Divines. Junius, Chamierus, Tomo. 1. L. 9. c. 5. Polanus, Wendelinus, Waltherus, Spanhemius, Cartwright, Gerardus in exegesi loci primi de Scriptura sacra. c. 6. Joh. Camero Tomo. 3. in Praelectionibus de verbo Dei. Cap. 15. Rivetus in Isagoge ad S. Script. c. 6. & in Summa Controversiarum Tom. 1. Tract. 1. Quaest. 1. Altingi us. But Chrysost. and Whitaker, also Bellarmine l. 4. de verbo Dei. c. 4. Gr…ther and Becanus hold that some Canonicall Books are lost. I rather subscribe to the judgement of the former Reverend Divines who held the contrary.
The second question is, whether the Scripture of the old Testament was punctata Spanhemius Dub. Evangel. parte Tertia. D…b. 129.from the beginning; or whether the Hebrew Text had Vowels, or points from the beginning as now it hath. Controversiam de punctorum antiquitate vel novitate inter viros eruditos disceptatam non attingo. Sententia utraque suos habet assertores, & magni quidem nominis.
Cevalerius, Buxtorfius punctorum patronus fortissimus Capellus.Buxtorsius, Marinus, Junius, and other very godly and learned men have defended the antiquity of the pricks, which to the Hebrews are in stead of Vowels, and say that the Bibles were punctata in our Saviour Christs time and that he approved of the same Matth. 5.*Piscat. in. locum. Puncta ista Hebraica à Massorethia sunt excogitata, & textui sacro addita cicra Christi annum 500. aut saltem post 400. Capellus de punctorum Heb. Antiq. l. 2. Amama dissertat. de Jehov…. Vide Riveti Isagog. c. 8. 18. others hold that the invention of the pricks and the Mass…reth is to be ascribed to the Tiberian Massorites, who flourished about 500 yeares after Christs birth; this opinion divers learned men have defended with most weighty reasons, as Martinius in Technologia, Luther, Mercer, Scaliger, and Drusius, Calvin upon the 11. of Zacharie, Zuinglius in his Preface on Esay. Raynolds in his censure of the Apocryphall Books. But above all Capellus in his Book entitled Arcanum punctationis revelatum, hath so strongly confirmed that opinion, and hath so solidly confuted the reasons which are commonly brought to the contrary, that he hath drawn some learned Divines to his opinion, which before did stiffely adhere to the contrary opinion, and left others very doubtfull: He hath well answered that place, Matth. 5. 18. l. 2. c. 14.
But (as Amana saith) if any will not be moved from the other opinion,Altum in omnium antiquorum Patrum Graecorum & Latinorum scriptis, de punctis silentium, ut ne minimus quidem apex de illa …piculis in ij… exflet. Capel. lue l. 1. c. 9. that the puncta were invented by the Prophets (which many godly Divines doe out of a good zeale stand for) suum Cuique liberum sit judicium.
Vide Fulleri Miscell Sac. l. 4. c. 4. Mercerum ad Gen. 16. 13. & Drusium ad difficuliora loca Genes. Buxtor fij dissertationem de Ebraeorum literis. Our Saviour saith, Matth. 5. 18. that not one jot or prick of the Law shall perish, whereby it should appeare that the Law and the Prophets (for of both he speaketh immediately *B…shop Ushers Body of Divinity p. 13.before) had vowels & pricks: whereunto also belong all those places of Scripture, which testifie of the clearnesse, and certainty of the Scripture, which could not at all be now, if it lacked Vowels. Yet this is not B. Vshers judgement, as himselfe told me. Non est improbabile argumentum ex Matth. 5. v. 18.*Christus eo loco procul dubiò respicit non ad puncta vocalia & Accentus, qui tum nulli fuerunt; sed (uti rectè observat Hieronymus) ad figuram literarum, & ad cornicula illa, quibus literarum Capita in hodierna scriptura (quà in scribendo Legis volumine utuntur Judaei) armantur; hoc que duntaxat vult, se non venisse (quod de eo falsissimò Calumniabantur Judaei) ad evacuandam & abolendam Legem, ut contra potius venerit ad eam perf…ctissimè implendam. Capelli Diatribe de literis Ebr. Luc. 16. 17. ubi per foreign puncta & accentus commodè intelligi posse docti opinantur: inter quos Broughthonius in Daniel p. 45. & Polanus Syntagm. lib. 1. cap. 37. quamvis argumento illi nolimus insistere. Voetius Tomo primo. disputat. de authoritate Scripturae.
Sine punctis legere (saith Drusius) paucis hodie Concessum. Serarius de Rabbinis saith, Elias Hutter a Lutherane writes thus, è mille Praedicantibus ne unum quidem esse, qui etiam punctatissina possit Hebraea legere, nedum absque punctis.