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