Of the Divine Original Authority, Treatise 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
1. The occaſion of this Diſcourſe. 2. The Danger of ſuppoſing corruptions in the Originalls of the Scripture. 3. The great uſefullneſſe of the Biblia Polyglotta. 4. The Grounds of the enſuing animadverſions. 5. The Aſſertions propoſed to be vindicated laid downe. 6. Their weight and importance. 7. Sundry principles in the Prolegomena prejudiciall to the Truth contended for, laid downe. 8. Thoſe Principles formerly aſſerted by others. Reaſons of the oppoſition made to them.
Scte. 1. WHEN this whole little precedent Treatiſe was finiſhed, and ready to be given out unto the Stationer, there came to my hands the Prolegomena and Appendix to the Biblia Polyglotta lately publiſhed. Upon the firſt ſight of that volume, I was ſomewhat ſtartled with that Bulkie collection of various Readings, which the Appendix tenders to the view of every one th…t doth but caſt an eye upon it. Within a while after I found that others alſo men of Learning and Judgment, had apprehenſions of that worke, not unlike thoſe which my owne thoughts had ſuggeſted unto me. Afterwards, conſidering what I had written, about the Providence of God in the preſervation of the Originall Copies of the Scripture in the foregoing diſcourſe, fearing leaſt from that great Appearance of Variations in the Originall Copies, and thoſe of all the Tranſlations publiſhed with ſo great care and diligence, there might ſome unconquerable objections againſt the Truth of what I had aſſerted, be educed; I judged it neceſſary to ſtop the progreſſe of thoſe thoughts, untill I could get time to looke through the Appendix, and the various Lections in that great Volume exhibited unto us, with the grounds and Reaſons of them in the prolegomena. Having now diſcharged that taske, and (as things were ſtated) duty, I ſhall crave leave to deliver my thoughts to ſome things contained in them, which poſſibly men of perverſe minds may wreſt to the prejudice of my former Aſſertions, to the prejudice of the certainty of divine Truth, as continued unto us through the Providence of God in the Originalls of the Scripture.
Sect. 2. What uſe hath been made, and is as yet made in the world, of this ſuppoſition, that corruptions have befallen the Originalls of the ſcripture, which thoſe various lections at firſt view ſeeme to intimate; I need not declare. It is in breife, the foundation of Mahumetiſme, Alcor. Azoar. 5.Whitak Cham. Rivet. de S. S. Molin. nov. Pap. Meſtrezat. Cont. Jeſuit. Regourd. vid. Card. Perron. reſpon. ad Reg. mag. Bullen. l. 5. c. 6. The chiefeſt and principall prop of Popery, the only pretence of Fanaticall Anti Scripturiſts, & the root of much hidden Atheiſme in the World. At preſent there is ſent unto me by a very learned Perſon, upon our diſcourſe on this ſubject, a Treatiſe in Engliſh, with the Latine Title of fides Divina, wherein it's nameleſſe Author, on this very foundation labours to evert and utterly render uſeleſſe the whole ſcripture. How farre ſuch as he may be ſtrengthened in their infidelity by the conſideration of theſe things, time will manifeſt.
Had there not been then a neceſſity incumbent on me, either utterly to deſiſt from purſuing any thoughts of publiſhing the foregoing Treatiſe, or elſe of giving an account of ſome things contained in the Prolegomena and Appendix, I ſhould for many Reaſons have abſtained from this Employment. But the truth is, not only what I had written in the firſt Chapter about the Providence of God in the preſervation of the Scripture, but alſo the maine of the Arguments afterwards inſiſted on by me, concerning the ſelfe Evidencing power and Light of the Scripture, receiving in my Apprehenſion a great weakning by the things I ſhall now ſpeake unto, if owned and received as they are propoſed unto us, I could not excuſe my ſelfe from running the hazard, of giving my thoughts upon them.
Sect. 3. The Wiſeman tells us, that he conſidered all travell and every right worke, and that for this a man is envied of his neighbour, wh…ch ſaith he, is vanity and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 4. 4. It cannot be denyed, but that this often fals out through the Corruption of the hearts of men, that when Works, right Workes, are with moſt ſore travell brought forth in the world, their Authours are repayed with envy for their Labour, which mixes all the iſſues of the beſt endeavours of men, with vanity, and vexation of ſpirit. Hiereme of old and Eraſmus of late, are the uſuall inſtances in this kind. That I have any of that guilt in a peculiar manner, upon me in reference to this worke of publiſhing the Biblia Polyglotta, which I much eſteeme, or the Authours and contrivers of it,a(fir…e my writing of this ſome of the cheif overſeers of the Worke, Perſons of ſingular worth are knowne to me.) whom I know not, I can, with due conſideration, and doe utterly deny. The ſearcher of all hearts, knowes I lye not. And what ſhould poſſibly infect me with that leaven? I neither profeſſe any deep skill in the Learning uſed in that worke, nor am ever like to be ingaged in any thing that ſhould be ſet up in competition with it; nor did ever know that there was ſuch a Perſon in the world, as the chiefe Authour of this Edition of the Bibles, but by it. I ſhall then never faile on all juſt occaſions, to commend the Uſefullneſſe of this worke, and the Learning Diligence and paines of the worthy Perſons that have brought it forth; nor would be wanting to their full praiſe in this place, but that an entrance into this diſcourſe with their due commendations might be liable to miſrepreſentations. But whereas we have not only the Bible publiſhed, but alſo private opinions of men, (and collections of various Readings (really or pretendedly ſo we ſhall ſee afterwards,) tending ſome of them as I apprehend, to the diſadvantage of the great and important Truth that I have been pleading for, tendred unto us, I hope it will not be Grievous to any nor matter of Offence, if uſing the ſame Liberty, that they, or any of them whoſe hands have beene moſt eminent in this worke have done, I doe with (I hope) Chriſtian candor and moderation of ſpirit, briefly diſcover my thoughts upon ſome things propoſed by them.
Sect. 4. The renownedly learned Prefacer unto the Arabick Tranſlation in this Edition of it, tells us, that the Worke of tranſlating the Pentateuch into that Language, was performed by a Jew, who took care to give countenance to his own private opinions, and ſo render them Authenticke by bringing them into the Text of his Tranſlation.
It is not of any ſuch Attempt, that I have any cauſe to complaine, or ſhall ſo doe in reference to theſe Prolegomena and Appendix; only I could have wiſhed, (with ſubmiſion to better Judgments be it ſpoken,) that in the publiſhing of the Bible, the Sacred Text, with the Tranſlations, and ſuch naked hiſtoricall accounts of their Originalls and preſervation, as were neceſſary to have laid them faire and open to the Judgment of the Reader, had not been clogged with diſputes and pleas for particular private opinions, impoſed thereby with too much advantage on the minds of men, by their conſtant neighbourhood unto canonicall Truth.
Sect. 5. But my preſent conſiderations being not to be extended beyond the concernement of the Truth which in the foregoing diſcourſe I have pleaded for, I ſhall firſt propoſe a briefe abſtract thereof, as to that part of it, which ſeemes to be eſpecially concerned, and then lay downe what to me appeares in it's prejudice in the Volumes now under debate; not doubting but a fuller account of the whole, will by ſome or other be ſpedily tendred unto the Learned and impartiall Readers of them. The ſumme of what I am pleading for, as to the particular Head to be vindicated is; that as the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, were immediatly, and entirely given out by God himſelfe, his mind being in them repreſēted unto us, without the leaſt interveniency of ſuch mediums, and Waies, as were capable of giving change or alteration to the leaſt iota or ſyllable; ſo by his Good and mercifull providentiall diſpenſation, in his Love to his Word and Church, his whole Word as firſt given out by him, is preſerved unto us entire in the Originall Languages; where ſhining in its owne beauty and luſtre, (as alſo in all Tranſlations ſo farre, as they faithfully repreſent the Originalls) it manifeſts and evidences unto the conſciences of men, without other forraigne help or aſsiſtance, its divine originall and Authority.
Sect. 6. Now the ſeverall Aſſertions or Propoſitions contained in this poſition, are to me ſuch important Truths, that I ſhall not be blamed in the leaſt by my own Spirit, nor I hope by any others, in contending for them, judging them fundamentall parts of the faith once delivered to the ſaints; and though ſome of them may ſeeme to be leſſe weighty then others, yet they are ſo concatenated in themſelves, that by the removall or deſtruction of any one of them, our intereſt in the others is utterly taken away. It will aſſuredly be granted, that the perſwaſion of the coming forth of the Word immediately from God, in the way pleaded for, is the foundation of all faith, hope, and obedience. But what I pray will it advantage us, that God did ſo once deliver his Word, if we are not aſſured alſo, that, that word ſo delivered, hath been by his ſpeciall care and providence preſerved entire and uncorrupt unto us; or that it doth not evidence and manifeſt its ſelfe to be his Word, being ſo preſerved. Bleſſed may we ſay were the Ages paſt, who received the Word of God in its unqueſtionable power and purity, when it ſhone brightly in its own glorious native Light, and was free from thoſe defects and corruptions, which through the default of men, in a long tract of time it hath contracted; but for us, as we know not well where to lay a ſure foundation of believing, that this Book rather then any other doth conteine what is left unto us of that Word of his, ſo it is impoſſible we ſhould ever come to any certainty almoſt of any individuall VVord, or expreſſion, whither it be from God or no; far be it from the thoughts of any Good man, that God whoſe Covenant with his Church, is, that his Word and ſpirit ſhall never depart from it. Iſa. 59. 21. Math. 5. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 25. 1 Cor. 11. Math. 28. 20. hath left it in uncertainties, about the things that are the foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands.
As then I have in the foregoing Treatiſe, evinced as I hope the ſelfe Evidencing Light and power of the Scripture, ſo let us now candidly for the ſake and in the perſuit of Truth, deale with a mind freed from prejudices and diſquieting Affections, ſave only the trouble that ariſes from the neceſſity of diſſenting from the Authors of ſo uſefull a worke, addreſſe our ſelves to the conſideration of what ſeems in theſe Prolegomena and Appendix to impaire the truth of the other Aſſertions, about the entire preſervation of the Word as given out from God, in the copies which yet remaine with us. And this I ſhall doe, not doubting, but that the Perſons themſelves concernd, will fairely accept and weigh, what is conſcientiouſly tendred.
Sect. 7. As then I do with all thankfulneſſe acknowledge that many things are ſpoken very honourably of the Originalls in theſe Prolegomena, and that they are in them abſolutely preferred above any Tranſlation whatever,*Prolegom. 7. ſect 17. and aſſerted in generall as the Authentick Rule of all Verſions, contrary to the thoughts of the Publiſher of the great Pariſian Bibles, and his infamous hyperaſpiſtes Morinus; ſo as they ſtand in their aſpect unto the Appendix of various Lections, there are both opinions, and Principles confirmed by ſuitable Practiſes, that are of the nature and importance before mentioned.
1 After a*Prolegom. 3. ſ…c. 8. & ſeq. long diſpute to that purpoſe, it is determined, that the Hebrew Points or Vowels and Accents, are a novell Invention of ſome Judaicall Rabbins, about 5 or 600 yeares after the giving out of the Goſpell. Hence
1. An Antiquity is aſcribed to ſome Tranſlations, 2 or 3 at the leaſt, above and before the invention of theſe points, whoſe agreement with the Originall cannot therefore by juſt conſequence be tryed by the Preſent Text, as now pointed and accented.
2. The whole credit of our Reading and Interpretation of the Scripture, as far as regulated by the preſent punctation, depends ſolely on the faithfulneſſe and ſkill of thoſe Jewes, whoſe invention this worke is aſſerted to be.
2 The foreign of which ſort are above 800 in the Hebrew Bibles, Prolegom. 8. Sect. 23. etc.are various Lections, partly gathered by ſome Judaicall Rabbins out of ancient copies, partly their criticall amendments.
And therefore
After theſe various lections, as they are eſteemed, are preſented unto us, in their own proper order wherein they ſtand in the great Bibles (not ſurely to increaſe the Bulke of divers Readings, or to preſent a face of new variety to a leſſe attentive Obſerver but) to evidence, that they are ſuch various lections as above deſcribed, they are given us over a ſecond time,Append. p. 5. in the method whereinto they are caſt by Capellus the great patriarch of theſe myſteries.
3. That there are ſuch Alterations befallen the Originall, Prolegom. 7. ſec. 12.as in many places may be rectified by the Tranſlations that have been made of old.
And therefore
Various Lections may be obſerved and gathered out of thoſe Tranſlations,Prolegom. 6. ſect. 8, 9, 10. by conſidering how they read in their copies, and wherein they differed from thoſe which we now enjoy.
4. It is alſo declared, that where any groſſe faults or corruptions are befallen the originalls, Prolegom 6. ſect. 12.men may by their faculty of criticall conjecturing amend them, and reſtore the native Lections that were loſt; though in generall without the Authority of Copies, this be not to be allowed.
And therefore
A collection of various Readings out of Grotius, conſiſting for the moſt part in ſuch conjectures, is in the Appendix preſented unto us.
5. The voluminous Bulke of various Lections, as nakedly exhibited, ſeemes ſufficient to be get ſcruples and doubts in the minds of men, about the Truth of what hath been hitherto by many pretended concerning the Preſervation of the Scripture through the care and providence of God.
Sect. 8. It is known to all men acquainted with things of this nature, that in all theſe, there is no new opinion coyned or maintained by the learned prefacer to theſe Bibles. The ſeveralls mentioned, have been aſſerted and maintained by ſundry learned men. Had the opinion about them been kept in the ordinary Sphere of mens private conceptions in their own private writings, running the hazard of mens Judgments on their own ſtrength and Reputation, I ſhould not from my former diſcourſe have eſteemed my ſelfe concerned in them. Every one of us muſt give an account of himſelfe unto God. It will be well for us, if we are found holding the foundation. If we build hay and ſtubble upon it, though our work periſh, we ſhall be ſaved. Let every man in theſe things be fully perſwaded in his own mind, it ſhall be to me no offence. It is their being laid as the foundation of the uſefulneſſe of theſe biblia polyglotta, with an endeavour to render them catholick, not in their own ſtrength, but in their Appendage to the Authority, that on Good grounds is expected to this work, that calls for a due conſideration of them. All men who will find them ſtated in theſe prolegomena, may not perhaps have had leaſure, may not perhaps have the Ability to know what iſſue the moſt of theſe things have been already driven unto, in the writings of private men.
Sect. 9. As I willingly grant then, that ſome of theſe things may without any great prejudice to the Truth, be candidly debated amongſt learned men; ſo taking them altogether, placed in the advantages they now enjoy, I cannot but look upon them, as an engine ſuited to the deſtruction of the important truth before pleaded for; and as a fit weapon put into the hands of men of Atheiſticall minds and Principles, ſuch as this Age abounds withall, to oppoſe the whole evidence of Truth revealed in the Scripture. I feare with ſome, either the pretended infallible Judge, or the depth of Atheiſme will be found to lye at the door of theſe conſiderations. Hoc Ithacus vellet. But the debate of the Advantage of either Romaniſts or Atheiſts from hence, belongs to another place and ſeaſon. Nor is the guilt of any conſequences of this nature charged on the workmen, which yet may be fear'd from the worke its ſelfe.