Of the Divine Original Authority, Treatise 2 · Chapter 4

Of the Divine Original Authority · Treatise 2 · Chapter 4

p. 208CHAP. IV.

1. The originall of the Points propoſed to conſideration in particular. 2 The importance of the points to the right underſtanding of the Scripture; the teſtimony of Morinus, Junius, Johannes Iſaac, Cevallerius, and others. 3 The uſe made by the Papiſts of the opinion of the Novelty of the Points. 4 The importance of the Points farther manifeſted. The extreme danger of making the Hebrew Punctation Arbitrary. 5 That danger evinced by Inſtance. 6 No reliefe againſt that Danger, on the grounds of the opinion conſidered. 7 The Authors of the Hebrew Punctation according to the Prolegomena: who & what. Morinus his folly. The improbability of this pretence. 8 The ſtate of the Jewes, the ſuppoſed inventors of the Points after the deſtruction of the Temple. 9 Two attempts made by them to reſtore their Religion. The former under Barchochab with its iſsue. 10 The ſecond p. 209under R. Juda, with its iſſue. 11 The riſe and foundation of the Talmuds. 12 The ſtate of the Jews upon, and after the writing of the Talmuds. 13 Their rancour againſt Chriſt. 14 Who the Tiberian Maſſorites were, that are the ſuppoſed Authors of the Hebrew Punctation: their deſcription. 15 That figment rejected. 16 The late Teſtimony of Dr. Light foot to this purpoſe. 17 The riſe of the opinion of the Novelty of the Points. Of Elias Levita. The value of his Teſtimony in this caſe. 18 Of the Validity of the Teſtimony of the Jewiſh Rabbins. 19 Some conſiderations about the antiquity of the Points; the firſt from the nature of the Punctation its ſelfe, in reference unto Grammaticall Rules. 20 From the Chaldee Paraphraſe, and integrity of the Scripture as now pointed.

THis being in my Apprehenſion the ſtate of things amongſt us, I hope I may without offence proceed to the conſideration of the particulars before mentioned, from whence it is feared that Objections p. 210may ariſe againſt the purity and ſelfe evidencing power of the Scriptures pleaded for in the foregoing Treatiſe. That which in the firſt place was mentioned, is the Aſſertion of the Points, or vowels and Accents to be a novell invention of ſome Rabbins of Tiberias in Palaeſtina. This the learned Author of the Prolegomena defends with Capellus his Argumēts, and ſuch other Additions as he was pleaſed to make uſe of. To cleare up the concernments of our Truth in this Particular, it will be neceſſary to conſider, 1 what influence into the right underſtanding of the Text theſe points have, and neceſſarily muſt have. 2 What is their Originall, or who their Invention is aſcribed unto in theſe Prolegomena. As to the aſsertive part of this controverſy, or the vindication of their true ſacred Originall, ſome other occaſion may call for additions to what is now (by the way) inſiſted on. And as I ſhall not oppoſe them who maintaine that they are Coaevous with the letters, which are not a few of the moſt learned Jews and Chriſtians; ſo I no wayes doubt, but that p. 211as we now enjoy them, we ſhall yet manifeſt that they were compleated by foreign the men of the great Synagogue, Ezra and his Companions, guided therein by the infallible direction of the ſpirit of God.

Sect. 2. That we may not ſeeme foreign, or to contend de lana caprina, the importance of theſe points as to the right underſtanding of the Word of God, is firſt to be conſidered, and that from Teſtimony and the nature of the thing its ſelfe. Marinus in his preface to his Hebrew Lexicon, tells us that without the points, no certaine truth can be learned from the Scriptures in that Language, ſeeing all things may be read diverſe waies, ſo that there will be more confuſion in that one tongue, than was amongſt all thoſe at Babylon. (Nulla igitur certa doctrina poterit tradi de hâc linguâ, cùm omnia poſsint diverſimodò legi, ut futura ſit major confuſio unicae hujus linguae, quam illa Babylonis) Morinus plainly affirms that it is ſo indeed: inſtancing in the word foreign, which as it p. 212may be variouſly pointed, hath at leaſt 8. ſeverall ſignifications, and ſome of them as diſtant from one another, as heaven and earth. And to make evident the uncertainty of the language on this account, he gives the like Inſtance in c: r. s. in latine. Junius in the cloſe of his Animadverſions on Bellar: de verbo Dei. lib. 2. cap. 2, Commends that ſaying of Johannes Iſaac againſt Lindan: he that reads the Scriptures without points, is like a man that rides an horſe foreign, without a bridle; he may be carried he knowes not whither. Radulphus Cevallerius goes farther, Rudiment. ling. Heb. cap. 4. Quod ſupereſt de vocalium & Accentuum antiquitate, eorum ſententiae ſubſcribo, qui linguam Hebraeam tanquam omnium aliarum foreign abſolutiſſimum planè ab initio ſcriptam confirmant: quandoquidem qui contra ſentiunt, non modo authoritatem ſacrae ſcripturae dubiam efficiunt, ſed radicitùs (meo quidem judicio) convellunt, quod abſ que vocalibus & diſtinctionum notis, nihil certi firmi que habeat. As for the antiquity of the vowels and Accents (ſaith he) I am of their opinion, p. 213who maintaine the Hebrew language as the exact patterne of all others, to have been plainly written (with them) from the beginning: ſeeing that they who are otherwiſe minded, do not only make doubtfull the Authority of the Scriptures, but in my judgment wholly pluck it up by the roots. for without tho vowels and notes of diſtinction, it hath nothing firme and certaine.

In this mans judgment, (which alſo is my own) it is evident to all, how obnoxious to the opinion now oppoſed the Truth is that I am contending for.

To theſe alſo may be added the Great Buxtorfs, 11Buxtorf. Tiberias.father and 22De Antiqui…ate punct.ſon. 33Exeg. loc. com. To…. 1. de Sa: Sc.Gerard.44de Text. Heb. …uri: Glaſſius, 55loc. com quoaſ … extendat. Author. SSa.Voetius.66Clav. Sa: p. 2. Trac. 6. Flac: Ilyric: Polan: Whitaker. 77de Templ. Ezec.Haſſret.88diſ utat: Jenae. Wolthius.

Sect. 3. It is well known what uſe the Papiſts make of this conceit. Bellarmine maintaines that there are errors crept into the originall by this addition of the points. p. 214de Verb. Dei: lib. 2. cap. 2. Hiſce duabus ſententiis refutatis reſtat tertia quam ego veriſsimam puto, quae eſt, ſcripturas Hebraicas non eſſe in univerſum depravatas opera & malitia Judaeorum, nec tamen omnino eſſe integras & puras, ſed habere ſuos errores quoſdam, qui partim irrepſerint n… gligentiâ & ignorantiâ librariorum, &c: partim ignorantiâ Rabbinorum qui puncta addiderunt: itaque poſſumus ſi volumus puncta detrahere, & aliter legere. Theſe two opinions being confuted, the third remaineth which I ſupoſe to be moſt true, which is that the Hebrew ſcriptures are not univerſally corrupted by the malitious worke of the Jewes, nor yet are wholy pure or entire, but that they have errors, which have crept in partly by the negliligence and ignorance of the tranſcribers, partly by the ignorance of the Rabbins who added the points: whence we may if we pleaſe reject the points and read otherwiſe.

In the voluminous oppoſition to the Truth made by that learned man, I know nothing more pernitiouſly ſpoken: nor doe yet know how his inference can be avoided, p. 215on the hypotheſis in Queſtion. To what purpoſe this inſinuation is made by him is well knowne, and his Companions in deſigne exactly declare it. That their Hebrew Text be corrected by the vulgar latine, is the expreſſe deſire of Gregory de valentia, Tom. 1. diſput. 5. qu. 3: and that becauſe the Church hath approved that Tranſlation, it being corrected (ſaies Huntly) by Hierome before the invention of points. But this is put out of doubt by Morinus, who from hence argues the Hebrew tongue to be a very noſe of waxe, to be turned by men which way they pleaſe: and to be ſo given of God on purpoſe, that men might ſubject their conſciences to their infallible Church: Exercit. l. 1. Exer. 1. c. 2. Great hath been the indeavour of this ſort of men, wherein they have left no ſtone unturned, to decry the originalls. Some of them cry out that the old Teſtament is corrupted by the Jewes,1 De Tranſl…t. Scripturae. 2 Controverſiarum Epitome. 3. Loc. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 13. 4. Arcan Cathol. lib. 1. 5. Ex ercit. de Heb. Text fincer. 6. Prolegom: 7 Deve…oo Del lib. 2. 8 In Pſal 21. …erſ 19. 9 Bibliot c. lib. 8 Haereſ. 13. 10 Praefat ad Bib. in terlin. 11. reſponſ. ad Linda…. 12 De rebus Solom. cap. 4. Sect. 1. 13 Praefat, ad …oſu. 14 Proleg…m. Biblica.Ps 21 as 1. Leo Caſtrius, 2. Gordonius Huntlaeus, 3. Melchior Canus; 4. Petrus p. 216Galatinus, Morinus, Salmeron, Pintus; Merſennus, Animad. in Problem. Georgii Venet, &c. pag. 233: that many corruptions have crept into it, by negligence, and the careleſſneſſe of Scribes, ſo 7 Bellarmine, 8 Genebrard, 9 Sixtus Sinenſis with moſt of the reſt of them; In theſe things indeed they have been oppoſed by the moſt learned of their own ſide; as 10 Arias Montanus; 11 Jobannes Iſaack: 12 Pineda, 13 Maſius, 14 Ferarius, 15 Andradius & ſundry others who ſpeake honourably of the Originals; But in nothing do they ſo pride themſelves, as in this conceit of the Novelty of the Hebrew punctation; whereby they hope with Abimelech's ſervants utterly to ſtop the wells or fountaines, from whence we ſhould draw our ſoules refreſhment.

Sect. 4. This may ſerve for a ſhort view of the Opinions of the parties at variance, and their ſeverall intereſts in theſe p. 217Opinions. The importance of the points is on all hands acknowledged, whether ayming at the Honour, or diſhonour of the Originalls. Vowels are the life of words; Conſonants without them are dead and immoveable, by them are they carried to any ſenſe, & may be to diverſe. It is true that men who have come to acquaintance with the ſcriptures by the help of the Vowels & Accents, being in poſſeſſion of an habitual notion & apprehenſion of that ſenſe and meaning which ariſeth from them, may poſſibly thinke that it were a facile thing to find out and fix upon the ſame ſenſe by the helpe of the matres lectionis foreign, and the Conſideration of Antecedents and Conſequents with ſuch like Aſſiſtances. But let them be all taken out of the way (as I ſhall manifeſt it is fit they ſhould be, if they have the originall aſſigned to them by the Prolegomena) and let men lay aſide that Advantage they have received from them, and it will quickly appeare into what devious wayes all ſorts of ſuch Perſons will run. Scarcſe a Chapter, it may be a verſe, or a Word, p. 218in a ſhort time would be left free from perplexing contradicting conjectures. The Words are altogether innumerable whoſe ſignifications may be varied, by an arbitrary ſupplying of the points. And when the Regulation of the punctation ſhall be left to every ſingle Perſon's conjectures upon Antecedents and Conſequents (for who ſhall give a rule to the reſt) what end ſhall we have of fruitleſſe conteſts? What various, what pernitious ſenſes ſhall we have to contend about? ſuppoſe that men ſober, modeſt, humble, pious, might be preſerved from ſuch miſcariages, & be brought to ſome agreement about theſe things, (which yet in theſe dayes upon many accounts is not to be looked for; yea from the nature of the thing it ſelfe ſeemes impoſſible) yet this gives us but an humane fallible perſwaſion that the readings fixed on by them, is according to the mind of God; But to expect ſuch: an agreement is fond & fooliſh. Beſides who ſhall ſecure us againſt the luxuriant Atheiſticall Wits & ſpirits of theſe dayes who are bold upon all advantages foreign, and to break p. 219in upon every thing that is holy and ſacred; that they will not by their huckſtering, utterly corrupt the Word of God? How eaſy is it to foreſee the dangerous conſequents of contending for various readings, though not falſe nor pernitious, by men pertinaciouſly adhering to their own conjectures? The Word of God, as to its literall ſenſe, or Reading of the words of it, hath hitherto beene foreign, and the acknowledged touchſtone of all Expoſitions; Render this now à foreign, and what have we remaining firme and unſhaken?

Sect. 5. Let men with all their confidence as to the knowledge of the ſenſe and meaning of the Scriptures which they have already received by ſuch helps and meanes as are all of them reſolved into the preſent punctation of the Bible, (For all Grammars, all Lexicons, the whole Maſſora, all helpes to this language, new and old in the world, are built on this foundation) reduce themſelves to ſuch an indifferency, as ſome of late have fancied as a meet riſe for knowledge; and p. 220fall ſeriouſly to the Reading of ſome of the Prophets whoſe matter is ſublime and Myſticall, and their Stile elipticall and abſtruſe, without the help of points and Accents: Let them fix them, or any figures to anſwer their ſounds arbitrarily, merely on their judgment in the Language, and conjectures at the ſenſe of the place, without any advantage from what they have been inſtructed in, and let us ſee whether they will agree as they fabulouſly report of the 70 Tranſlators? What ever may be the iſſue of their induſtry, we need not feare quickly to find as learned as they, that would lay their worke levell with the ground. I confeſſe conſidering the dayes we live in, wherein the bold and curious wits of men, under pretence of criticall obſervations, alluring and entiſing with a ſhew of Learning have ventured to queſtion almoſt every word in the Scripture, I cannot but tremble to thinke, what would be the iſſue of this ſuppoſition, that the Points, Vowels and Accents are no better guides unto us, than may be expected from thoſe who p. 221are pretended to be their Authours. The Lord I hope will ſafeguard his owne, from the poyſon of ſuch Attempts; The leaſt of its evill, is yet throughly conſidered. So that whereas ſaving to my ſelfe the liberty of my Judgment, as to ſundry particulars both in the impreſsion its ſelfe and in ſundry Tranſlations, I acknowledge the great uſefullneſſe of this worke, and am thankfull for it, which I here publickly teſtify; yet I muſt needs ſay, I had rather that it, and all workes of the like kind, were out of the world, than that this one opinion ſhould be received, with the Conſequences that unavoidably attend it,

Sect. 6. But this triall needs not be feared. Grant the points to have the Originall pretended, yet they deſerve all regard, and are of ſingular uſe for the right underſtanding of the ſcripture: ſo that it is not lawfull to depart from them, without urgent neceſſity, and Evidences of a better l…ction to be ſubſtituted in the roome of that refuſed. But as this relieves p. 222us not, but ſtill leaves us within the ſpheare of rationall conjectures. So whether it can honeſtly be pretended and pleaded in this caſe, comes nextly to be diſcovered by the conſideration of the ſuppoſed Authors of this Invention.

Sect. 7. The founders of this ſtory of the Invention of the Hebrew points, tell us, that it was the Worke of ſome Rabbins, living at Tiberias a City in Galilee, about the yeare of Chriſt 500, or in the next Century, after the death of Hierome, and the finiſhing of the Babilonian Talmud; The improbability of this ſtory or Legend, I am not now to inſiſt upon. Morinus makes the lye lowder. He tels us that the Babilonian Talmud was finiſhed but a little before the yeare 700, Ex. 2. Cap. 3. par poſter: that the Maſſorites (to whome he aſcribes the invention of the points) wrote a long time after the finiſhing of the Talmud, and the year 700 p: p: 5. cap. 3; this long time cannot denote leſſe than ſom 100^d, of yeares. And yet the ſame man in his preface to his Samaritica p. 223opuſcula; boaſting of his finding Rab: Juda Chiug. manifeſts that he was acquainted with the preſent punctation, and wrote about it. Now this Rabbi was a Grammarian; which kind of learning among the Jews ſucceeded that of the Maſſorites. And he lived about the yeare 1030; ſo that no roome at all ſeemes to be left for this worke. That there was formerly a Schoole of the Jewes, and learned men famous at Tiberias is granted. Hierome tels us that he hired a learned Jew from thence for his aſſiſtance. Epiſt:ad Chromat: Among others,Lightfoot Fall of Hieruſ. Sect. 3. 4, 5. &c. D^r Light foot hath well traced the ſhaddow of their ſanedrym with their preſidents in it, in ſome kind of ſucceſſion to that place. That they continued there in any eſteem, number or Reputation, unto the time deſigned by our Authours for this Worke, is not made to appeare from any Hiſtory or record of Jewes or Chriſtians; yea it is certaine, that about the time mentioned the chiefeſt flouriſhing of the Jewiſh Doctors was at Babilon, with ſome other p. 224Cities in the Eaſt, where they had newly compleated their Talmud, the great Pandect of Jewiſh Lawes and conſtitutions as themſelves every where witnes & declare. That any perſons conſiderably learned were then in Tiberias is a mere conjecture. And it is moſt improbable, conſidering what deſtruction had been made of them at Diocaeſaria and Tiberias, about the year of Chriſt 352, by Gallus at the command of Conſtantius. That there ſhould be ſuch a collection of them, ſo learned, ſo Authoriſed; as to invent this Worke, and impoſe it on all the world, no man once taking notice that any ſuch perſons ever were, is beyond all belief. Notwitſtanding any intanglements that men by their conjectures may put upon the perſwaſion of the Antiquity of the points, I can as ſoone believe the moſt incredible figment in the whole Talmud, as this fable. But this is not my buſineſſe; Let it be granted, that ſuch Perſons there were; on the ſuppoſition under conſideration, I am only enquiring what is the ſtate and condition of the preſent Hebrew pointing, p. 225and what weight is to be laid thereon. That the Reader then may a little conſider what ſort of men they were, who are aſſigned in theſe Prolegomena as the Inventours of this Artifice of punctation, I ſhall take a briefe view of the ſtate of the Jewes after the deſtruction of the Temple downe to the dayes enquired after.

Sect. 8. That the Judaicall Church ſtate continued, not only de facto, but in the mercifull forbearance of God ſo far, that the many 1000^s of Believers that conſtantly adhered to the Moſaicall worſhip, were accepted with God, untill the deſtruction of the Temple; that, that deſtruction was the ending of the world that then was by fire, and the beginning of ſetting up ſolemnely the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſſe, I have at large elſewhere declared, and may God aſſiſting yet farther manifeſt in my thoughts on the Epiſtle of Paul to the Hebrewes. The time between the beginning of Chriſt's preaching, to the utter deſolation of the City and Temple, p. 226an open viſible rejection of that Church, as ſuch was made. Thereon an utter ſeparation of the true Iſrael from it enſued; and the hardened reſidue became foreign and foreign a people not in Covenant or Delight, but of curſe & indignation. What their ſtate was for a ſeaſon, on wards both civil and Religious many have declared. I ſhall only inſiſt on the heads of things. In generall then, they were moſt remote from accepting of the puniſhment of their ſinne, or conſidering that God was revenging upon them the quarrell of his Covenant to the utmoſt, having broken both his ſtaves, Beauty and Bands. So farre were they from owning their ſinne in ſelling of their Meſsias, that ſeeing an End put to all their former worſhip thereupon, there is nothing recorded of them but theſe two things, which they wholy in direct oppoſition unto God gave themſelves up unto. (1) They encreaſed in rage & madneſſe againſt all the followers of Chriſt, ſtirring up perſecution againſt them all the world over. Hereunto they were provoked p. 227by a great number of Apoſtates, who when they could no longer retain their Moſaical rites with the profeſsion of Chriſt; being rejected by the Chuches, fell back againe to Judaiſme or ſemijudaiſme. 2^ly. A …ilthy luſting and deſire after their former worſhip now become abominable, and a badg of infidelity, that ſo their table might become a ſnare unto them. & what had been for their ſafety, might now become the meanes of their utter ruine and hardening. Of the former, or their ſtirring up of Perſecution, all ſtories are full of Examples and Inſtances. The latter, or their deſires and attempts for the Reſtauration of their worſhip, as conducing to our preſent buſineſſe, muſt be farther conſidered.

Sect. 9. For the Accompliſhment of a deſigne to reſtore their old Religion, or to furniſh themſelves with a new, they made two deſperate Attempts. The firſt of theſe was by Armes under their Pſeudo-Meſsias Barchochab, in the dayes of Adrian. Under the conduct and influencings of this man, to whom one of the p. 228chief Rabbins, (Akiba) was armour bearer; in the purſuite of a deſigne to reſtore their Temple and Worſhip, they fell into Rebellion againſt the Romans all the World over. In this worke, after they had committed unheard of outrages, Maſſacres, unparallelled murders ſpoiles and cruelties, and had ſhaken the whole Empire, they were themſelves in all parts of the World, eſpecially in the City Bitter, where was the head of their Rebellion, ruined with a deſtruction, ſeeming equall to that which befell them at Jeruſalem, in the dayes of Veſpaſian and Titus.

That the Riſe of this warre was upon the twofold cauſe mentioned, namely their deſire to retaine their former worſhip, and to deſtroy the Chriſtian is evident. For the firſt it is expreſſed by Diocaſ…ius. Hiſt. Rom. lib. 69. in vita Had. foreign p. 229foreign. It was the defiling of the ſoyle whereon the temple ſtood, which God ſuffered on ſet purpoſe, to manifeſt their utter rejection, and that the time was come wherein he would be no more worſhipped in that place in the old manner, that put them in armes, as that Authour declares at large. And for the latter, Juſtin Martyr, who lived at that time informes us of it. Apol. 2^da. ad Anton. Pium: foreign. His fury was in an eſpeciall manner againſt the Chriſtians, whom he commanded to be tortured and ſlaine, unleſſe they would deny and blaſpheme Jeſus Chriſt. See Euſeb. chron. ad an. Chriſti 136. And this warre they mannaged with ſuch fury, and for a while ſucceſſe, that after Hadrian had called together againſt them the moſt experienced ſouldiers in the world, particularly Julius Severus out of England, and had ſlaine of them 5080000 in battell, with an infinite p. 230number beſides as the Hiſtorian ſpeakes by famine, ſickneſſe and fire were conſumed, He found himſelfe to have ſuſtained ſo much loſſe by them, that he began not his letter to the Senate in the wonted manner; foreign; He could not aſſure them, that it was well with him and his army.

By this ſecond deſolation they were very low, made weake and contemptible, and driven into obſcurity all the world over. In this ſtate they wandred up and downe for ſome ſeaſon in all manner of Uncertainty. They had not only loſt the place of their ſolemne worſhip, ſeeing it wholy defiled, the name of Jeruſalem changed into Aelia, and themſelves forbid to looke towards it upon paine of death, but alſo being now unſpeakably diminiſhed in their number,Euſeb. Hiſt. lib. 4. cap 6. Oroſius. lib. 7. c. 13. Hieron. Com. in Ze…h. c. 11. vid Tzemach. David. & Hotting. Hiſtt. eccleſi. nov. Teſta. all hopes of contriving themſelves into any condition of obſerving their p. 231old rites and worſhip was utterly loſt.**Diſperſi, palabundi & coeli & ſoli ſui extorres, vagantur per orbem ſine homine, ſine Deo, Rege, quibus nec advenarum jure terram patriam ſaltem veſtigio ſalutare conceditur. Tertull: Apol:

Sect. 10. Here they ſate down amazed for a ſeaſon; being at their wits end, as was threatned to them in the Curſe. But they will not reſt ſo. Conſidering therefore that their old Religion could not be continued without a Jeruſalem and a Temple, they began a nefarious attempt againſt God, equall to that of the old world in building Babel, even to ſet up a new Religion, that might abide with them whereever they were, and give them countenance in their Infidelity, and oppoſition to the Goſpell unto the utmoſt. The head of this new Apoſtaſy was one Rabbi Jehuda, whom we may not unfitly call the Mahomet of the Jews. They terme him Hannaſi, the Prince, and Hakkadoſh, the holy. The whole ſtory of him and his companions, as reported by the Jews, is well collected by Joſeph de Voiſin, obſervat. in proaem: ad pugi: fidei: p. 26, 27. p. 232The ſumme of the whole concerning this work is laid down by Maimonides, in his praefatio in Seder Zeraiim, pag: 36, 37. of the edition of M^r Pococke, wherein alſo a ſufficient account is given of the whole Miſhna, with the name of the Rabbins, either imploied in it, or occaſionally mentioned. This man about the year of Chriſt 190, or 200, when the Temple had now laine waſt almoſt three times as long as it did in the Babyloniſh Captivity, being countenanced as ſome of themſelves report,Poſt haec proceſi… temporis ventum eſt ad Rabbinu Hakkidoſh, cui pax, qui fuit ſe culi ſui phoenix, &c: Ille legem in Iſraele co…fi…mavit …enten …is, dicti… & differentiis ore traditis à Moſe, uſque ad tempora ſua colle…is, cum & ipſe eſſet ex iis qui ore …adita referebant. Collectis igitur ſententiis & dictis iſtis, manum admovit componendae Miſh…ae, quae omnium quae in lege ſcripta ſunt praeceptorum explicationem contineret, par…im traditionibus à Moſe (cui pa…) ore acceptis, pa…im conſequenti…s argumentatione elicitis &c. vid. R. Maimon. praefat. i… Zeder. Zerailm. edit. Pocock. p. 36, 37, 38. by Antoninus Pius, compiled the Jewiſh Alcoran, or the Miſhna, as a Rule of their worſhip and waies for the future. Only whereas Mahomet afterwards pretended to have received his ſigments by Revelation, (though indeed he had much of his Abominations from the Talmud) this man pleaded the receiving p. 233of his by Tradition; the two maine Engines that have been ſet up againſt the Word of God. Out of ſuch Phariſaicall Traditions as were indeed preſerved amongſt them, and ſuch Obſervances as they had learned and taken up from Apoſtate Chriſtians, as Aquila and others, with ſuch figments as were invented by himſelfe▪ and his predeceſſors, ſince the time of their being publickly rejected and curſed by God, This man compiled the foreign Miſhnaioth, which is the Text of their Talmud, and the foundation of their preſent Religion, under the name of the old orall Law. That ſundry Chriſtian Ceremonies and inſtitutions vilely corrupted were taken up by the Jews of thoſe daies, many of them being Apoſtates, as were alſo ſome of Mahomets Aſſiſtants in compiling of the Alcoran, I ſhall (God aſſiſting) elſewhere endeavour to evince and manifeſt. That any Goſpell obſervances were taken from the Jews, as being in practiſe amongſt them, before their inſtitution by p. 234Chriſt will appeare in the iſſue to be a bold and groundleſſe fancy.

Sect. 11. The foundation mentioned being laid in a Collection of Traditions, and new invention of Abominations under the name of old Traditions by this Rabbi the following Talmuds are an improvement of the ſame attempt, of ſetting up a Religion under the Curſe, and againſt the mind and Will of God; that being rejected by him, and left without King, without Prince, without ſacrifice, without image, without an Ephod, and without a Teraphim, and kind of worſhip, true or falſe, they might have ſomething to give them countenance in their unbeliefe. The Talmud of Jeruſalem, ſo called, (for it is the product of many comments on the Miſhnae in the city of Tiberias, where Rabbi Juda lived) becauſe it was compiled in the land of Canaan, whoſe metropolis was Jeruſalem, was publiſhed about the yeare of Chriſt 230. ſo it is commonly received; though I find Dr. Lightfoot of late, on ſuppoſitiō of finding in it the name of Diocletianus p. 235the Emperour, to give it a later date. But I confeſſe I ſee no juſt ground for the alteration of his judgment, from what he delivered in another Treatiſe before. The Doclet mentioned by the Rabbins was beaten by the Children of Rabbi Jehuda Princeps (as himſelfe obſerves) who lived in the daies of one of the Antoninus's, an hundred yeares before Diocletian. Neither was ever Diocletian in a Low condition in the Eaſt, being a Sarmatian born, and living in the Weſterne parts; only he went with Numerianus that Expedition into Perſia, wherein he was made Emperour at his returne: but this is nothing to my purpoſe. See Lightfoot Chronograph. cap. 81. p. 144. The Babylonian Talmud ſo called, becauſe compiled in the land of Babylon, in the cities of Nahardea, Sora, and Pumbeditha, where the Jews had their Synagogues and ſchooles, was finiſhed about the yeare 506 or 510. In this greater worke was the myſtery of their iniquity finiſhed, and the Engine of their own Invention for their further obduration perfectly compleated. Theſe are now the Rule of their p. 236faith, the meaſure of their Expoſition of Scriptures, the directory of their worſhip, the ground of their hope and Expectation.

Sect. 12. All this while the Jews enjoyed the Letter of the Scriptures, as they do to this day, yea they receive it ſometimes with the honour and Veneration due to God alone. God preſerved it amongſt them for our preſent uſe, their farther condemnation, and meanes of their future converſion. But after the deſtruction of the Temple, and rejection of their whole Church-ſtate, the Word was no longer committed to them of God, nor were they intruſted with it, nor are to this day. They have it not by promiſe, or Covenant, as they had of old. Iſa. 59. 21. Their poſſeſſion of it is not accompanied with the Adminiſtration of the ſpirit, without which, as we ſee in the inſtance of themſelves, the Word is a dead letter, of no efficacy for the Good of ſoules. They have the letter amongſt them, as ſometimes they had the Ark in the battell againſt the Philiſtines, p. 237for their greater ruine.

Sect. 13. In this ſtate and condition they every where diſcover their rancour and malice againſt Chriſt, calling him in contempt and reproach foreign, who is foreign relating monſtrous figments concerning him, and their dealing with him, under the name of Jeſus the ſon of Pandira. Some deny that by Jeſus the ſon of Pandira and Stada in the Talmud the bleſſed Meſſias is intended. So did Galatinus. Arcan: Relig. Cathol: lib. 1. cap. 7. and Reuchlins Cabal. lib. 1. p. 636. Guliel: Schickard: in Prooem. Tarich. p. 83. The contrary is aſſerted by Reynoldus praelec. in lib. Apoc. praelec. 103. p. 405, 406. Buxtorfius lexic. Rab. voce foreign and alſo in foreign; Vorſtius not: ad Tzem: Dau: pag. 264. And in truth the Reaſon pleaded by Galatinus and others, to prove that they did not intend our Saviour doth upon due conſideration evince the contrary. The Jeſus (ſay they) who is mentioned in the Talmud, lived in the daies of the Machabees, being ſlaine in the time of Hyrcanus p. 238or of Ariſtobulus, an 100 yeares before the death of the true Meſſias: ſo that it cannot be he who is by them intended. But this is invented by the curſed wretches, that it ſhould not appeare that their Temple was ſo ſoon deſtroyed after their wicked defection from God, in killing of his ſon. This is moſt manifeſt from what is cited by Genebrard from Abraham Levita in his Cabala hyſtoriae, where he ſaies, that Chriſtians invented this ſtory that Jeſus was crucified in the life of Herod, (that is the Tetrarch) that it might appeare that their Temple was deſtroyed immediatly thereupon: when (ſaith he) it is evident from the Miſhna, and Talmud, that he lived in the time of Alexander, and was crucified in the daies of Ariſtobulus. So diſcovering the true ground why they perverted the whole ſtory of his Time: namely leſt all the world ſhould ſee their ſin and puniſhment ſtanding ſo neer together. But it is well, that the time of our Saviours ſuffering and death was affirmed even by the Heathens, before either their Miſhna or Talmud were borne or thought of. Abolendo p. 239rumori (he ſpeaks of & Nero of his firing Rome) ſubdidit reos; & quaeſitiſsimis poenis affecit, quos per flagitia inviſos, vulgus Chriſtianos appellabat. Author nominis ejus Chriſtus, qui Tiberio imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum ſupplicio affectus erat. Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. To returne to our Jews: univerſally in all their old Writings, they have carried on a deſigne of impugning him in his Goſpell. For as we need not their teſtimony, nor any thing but the Scripture for their Conviction and foreign, ſo to acknowledge the truth, the places cited out of their Talmuds and Gemara, from the Cabaliſts & other Rabbins, by Martinus Raymundus, Porchetus, Galatinus, Reuchlinus, and others,) ſetting aſide Galatinus his Gale Rezeia which muſt be ſet aſide) ſeeme to be wreſted the moſt of them beſides their intentions, as things obſcurely, Metaphorically, and Myſtically written, are eaſily dealt withall. Their diſputes about the Meſſiah, when they ſpeak of him of ſet purpoſe, as in lib. ſanedrim, are fooliſh contradictious triflings, wherein they p. 240leave all things as uncertaine, as if they were wrangling in their wonted manner, de lana Caprina. So that for my part, I am not much removed from the opinion of Hulſius (lib. 1. pa. 2. dic: ſup. de Temp. Meſſiae) that Aeſops fables are of as much uſe in Chriſtian Religion, as the Judaicall Talmud. Whilſt they keep the Scripture, we ſhall never want Weapons out of their own armory for their deſtruction. Like the Philiſtine, they carry the weapon that will ſerve to cut off their own Heads. Now the Tiberian Maſſorites, the ſuppoſed Inventors of the points, vowels and Accents, which we now uſe, were men living after the finiſhing the laſt Talmud, whoſe whole Religion was built thereon.

Sect. 14. Let us then a little, without prejudice or paſſion, conſider who, or what theſe men were, who are the ſuppoſed Authors of this worke. 1. Men they were (if any ſuch were) who had not the Word of God committed to them in a peculiar manner, as their forefathers had of old, being no part of his Church or People, p. 241but were only outwardly poſseſſors of the Letter, without juſt Right or Title to it; utterly unintereſted in the promiſe of the communication of the Spirit, which is the great Charter of the Churches preſervation of truth: Iſa. 59. 21. 2 Men ſo remote from a right underſtanding of the Word, or the Mind and Will of God therein, that they were deſperately engaged to oppoſe his Truth in the Books which themſelves enjoyed in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God, or the Good of their owne ſoules, from the beginning to the ending.fundament: nonum apud Maimon. praefat. ad Perck. Chelek. p. 175. Edit. Poc. The foundation of whoſe Religion, was infidelity, and one of their cheife fundamentals an oppoſition to the Goſpell. 3. Men under the ſpeciall Curſe of God, and his vengeance, upon the Account of the Blood of his deare Son. 4. Men all their daies feeding themſelves with vaine fables, and miſcheivous devices againſt the Goſpell, labouring to ſet up a new Religion under the name of the old, in deſpight of God, ſo ſtriving to wreſtle it p. 242out with his curſe to the utmoſt. 5. Men of a proſound ignorance in all manner of Learning and knowledge, but only what concerned their own dunghill Traditions;Sh…bet Jehuda, p. 40. as appears in their ſtories, wherein they make Pirrhus King of Epirus, help Nebuchadnezzar againſt Jeruſalem; with innumerable the like fopperies. 6. Men ſo addicted to ſuch monſtrous figments, as appears in their Talmuds, as their ſucceſſors of after ages are aſhamed of, and ſeek to palliate, what they are able; yea for the moſt part Idolaters and Magicians, as I ſhall evince. Now I dare leave it to the judgment of any godly prudent perſon, not addicted to parties and names of men, who is at all acquainted with the importance of the Hebrew vowels and Accents unto the right underſtanding of the Scripture, with what influence their preſent fixation hath into the literall ſenſe we embrace, whether we need not very cleare evidence and Teſtimony, yea undeniable and unqueſtionable, to caſt the riſe and ſpring of them upon the invention of this ſort of men.

p. 243Sect. 15. Of all the fables that are in the Talmud, I know none more incredible than this ſtory: that men, who cannot by any ſtory or other record, be made to appeare, that they ever were in rerum naturâ: ſuch men, as we have deſcribed, obſcure, unobſerved, not taken notice of by any Learned man, Jew or Chriſtian, ſhould in a time of deep ignorance in the place where they lived, amongſt a people wholy addicted to monſtrous fables, themſelves blinded under the Curſe of God, find out ſo great, ſo excellent a work, of ſuch unſpeakable uſefulneſſe, not once adviſing with the men of their own profeſsion and Religion, who then flouriſhed in great abundance at Babylon, and the places adjacent, and impoſe it on all the World (that receive the Scriptures) and have every Tittle of their work received, without any oppoſition or queſtion, from any perſon or perſons, of any principle whatever; yea ſo, as to have their Invention made the conſtant Rule of all following Expoſitions, Comments, and Interpretations: p. 244Credat Apella.

To draw then to the cloſe of this diſcourſe; I muſt crave liberty to profeſſe, that if I could be throughly convinced, that the preſent Hebrew punctation were the figment and invention of theſe men, I ſhould labour to the utmoſt to have it utterly taken away out of the Bible, nor ſhould (in its preſent ſtation) make uſe of it any more. What uſe ſuch an Invention might be of under catholick rules in a way of Grammar, I ſhall not diſpute; but to have it placed in the Bible, as ſo great a part of the Word of God, is not tolerable. But bleſſed be God, things are not as yet come to that paſſe. I ſhall only adde, that whereas ſome of the moſt eminently learned and exerciſed perſons in all the learning and Antiquity of the Jews, that theſe latter ages have produced, have appeared in the confutation of this fancy of the Invention of the points by ſome Poſttalmudicall Maſſorites, I am ſorry their reſpect to the Rabbins hath kept them from the mannagement of this conſideration, which is to me of ſo great Importance.

p. 245Sect. 16. To what I have ſpoken, I ſhall adde the words of learned D^r Lightfoot in his late Centuria Chorograph. which came to my hands ſince the finiſhing of this diſcourſe, cap. 81. p. 146. ſunt qui punctata Biblia credunt à ſapientibus Tiberienſibus; (he means Elias only, for other Jews of this opinion there are none) Ego impudentiam Judaeorum, qui fabulam invenerunt non miror: Chriſtianorum credulitatem miror, qui applaudunt. Recognoſce (quaeſo) nomina Tiberienſium, à ſita illic primum Academia ad eam expirantem: & quidnam tandem invenies, niſi genus hominum, prae Phariſaiſmo inſaniens, traditionibus faſcinans & faſcinatum, coecum, vafrum, delirum; ignoſcant, ſi dicam Magicum, & monſtroſum? ad opus tam divinum homines quàm ineptos, quàm ſtolidos! Perlege Talmud Hieroſolymitanum, et nota qualiter illic ſe habeant R. Juda, R. Chamnath, Z. Judan, R. Hoſhaia, R. Chaija Rubba, R. Chaija bar Ba, R. Jochananan, reliqui que inter Tiberienſes grandiſsimi doctores, quàm ſeriò nihil agunt, quàm pueriliter p. 246ſeria, quanta in ipſorum diſputationibus vafrities, ſpuma, venenum, fumus, nihil: & ſi punctata fuiſſe Biblia in iſtiuſmodi Schola potes credere, crede & omnia Talmudica. Opus ſpiritûs ſancti ſapit punctatio Bibliorum, non opus hominum perditorum, excae…atorum, amentium. In the words of this learned perſon there is the ſumme of what I am pleading for. Saith he, I do not admire the Jews Impudence, who found out that fable; I admire Chriſtians credulity who applaud it. Recount I pray the names of the Tiberians from the firſt foundation of an Univerſity there to the expiring thereof, and what do you find, but a ſort of men being mad with (or above) the Phariſees, bewitchi…g and bewitched with traditions, blind, crafty, raging; pardon me if I ſay Magicall, and monſtrous? what fools, what Sots as to ſuch a divine work? Read over the Talmud of Jeruſalem, conſider how R. Juda, R. Chanina, R. Chajia Bar Ba, R. Jochanan, R. Jonathan, and the reſt of the great Doctors among the Tiberians do behave themſelves? how ſeriouſly they do of nothing? how childiſh they are in p. 247ſerious things, how much deceitfulneſſe, froth, venome, ſmoke, nothing, in their diſputations: & if you can believe the points of the bible to proceed from ſuch a ſchoole, believe alſo all their Talmuds; the pointing of the Bible ſavours of the work of the holy ſpirit, not of wicked, blind, and mad men.

Sect. 17. The Jewes generally believe theſe points to have been from Mount Sinai, and ſo downward by Moſes and the Prophets; at leaſt from Ezra and his companions, the men of the great ſynagogue, not denying that the uſe and knowledge of them received a great reviving by the Gemariſts and Maſſorites, when they had been much diſuſed; ſo Rabbi Azarias at large; Imre Binah. cap. 59.

Had it been otherwiſe, ſurely men ſtupendouſly ſuperſtitious in inquiring after the Traditions of their Fathers would have found ſome footſteps of their Riſe and progreſſe. It is true, there is not only the opinion, but there are the Arguments of one of them to the contrary, namely Elias Levita; This Elias lived in Germany about p. 248the begining of the Refomation, and was the moſt learned Grammarian of the Jewes in that age. Sundry of the firſt Reformers had acquaintance with him; The task not only of reforming Religion, but alſo of reſtoring good literature being incumbent on them, they made uſe of ſuch aſſiſtances as were to be obtained then to that purpoſe. This man (whichaaEodem fere tempore Palatinus ab…olitâ Poutificia Authoritate doctrinam Lutheri recepit, …a que de cauſa Paulum Fagium …a…ernis Rhenanis in Palatinatu natum Hidelbergam evocavit. Is ſub Volfingo Capitone perfectiſſimam linguae ſanctae cognitionē adeptus▪ cum egeſtate premeretur, Petri Buſteri viri locu…letis Iſ…ae in qua ille docebat Senatoris liberalitate ſublevatus H…liā illum Judaeorum doctiſſimum accerſendum curavit, & inſtituta typographica offcina, maximum ad ſolidam rerum Hebrai. carum cognitionem …omentum attulit. Thuanus Hiſt. lib. 2. ad An. 1564. 546▪ Thuanus takes notice of) lived with Paulus Fagius, and aſſiſted him in his noble promotion of the Hebrew tongue. Hence happily it is that ſome of thoſe worthies, unwarily Embraced his novell opinion, being either over borne with his Authority, or not having leaſure to ſearch farther after the Truth. That the Teſtimony of this one Elias ſhould be able to outweigh the conſtant Atteſtation of all other learned Jewes to the contrary, as Capellus affirmes & pleads, p. 249& as is inſinuated in our Prolegomena, Proleg. 3. Sec. 42.is fond to imagine; and the premiſes of that learned man fight againſt his own concluſion. It is knowne ſaith he, that the Jews are prone to inſiſt on every thing that makes for the honour of their people and Language, and therefore their teſtimony, to the Divine originall of the preſent punctation being in their own caſe, is not to be admitted. Only Elias who in this ſpeakes againſt the common intereſt of his people is preſumed to ſpeake upon conviction of truth. But the whole evidence in this cauſe is on the other ſide. Let us grant that all the Jewes are zealous of the honour and reputation of their Nation and Language; as they are: let us grant that they greedily cloſe with every thing, that may ſeeme to have a tendency thereunto? what will be the iſſue, or naturall inference from theſe Premiſes? Why as nothing could be ſpoken more honourably of the Jewes, whileſt they were the Church and people of God, then that of Paul, that to them were committed the oracles of God, ſo nothing can be p. 250imagined or fixed on, more to their honour, …ince their divorce from God, then that their Doctors and Maſters ſhould make ſuch an addition to the ſcripture, ſo generally acknowledged to be unſpeakably uſefull. And to this purpoſe Elias who was the Father of this Opinion, was farre from making ſuch deductions thence as ſome doe now adayes; namely, that it is lawfull for us to change the Vowells and Accents at our pleaſure; But tyes all men as ſtrictly to them as if they had been the worke of Ezra; It is Elias then that ſpeakes in his owne caſe; whoſe Teſtimony is therefore not to be admitted. What was done of old, and in the dayes of Ezra is ours, who ſucceed into the priviledges of that Church; what hath been done ſince the deſtruction of the Temple, is properly and peculiarly theirs.

Sect. 18. It may perhaps be thought that by the account given of the Rabbins, their ſtate and condition of old and of late, I might have weakned one great Argument which learned men make uſe of, to p. 251confirme the ſacred Antiquity of the preſent Hebrew punctation, taken from the univerſall conſent and teſtimony of the Jewiſh Doctors, Ancient and moderne, this one Elias, excepted. Who can thinke ſuch perſons are in any thing to be believed. But indeed the caſe is quite otherwiſe. Though we account them wholy unmeet for the worke that is aſcribed unto them, and on ſuppoſition that it is theirs, affirme that it had need undergoe another manner of triall then as yet out of Reverence to its generally received Antiquity, it hath met withall; yet they were men ſtill, who were full-well able to declare what de facto they found to be ſo, and what they found otherwiſe. It cannot, I think, be reſonably ſuppoſed, that ſo many men living in ſo many ſeverall Ages, at ſuch vaſt diſtances from one another, who ſome of them it may be, never heard of the names of other ſome of them, ſhould conſpire to couſen themſelves and all the world beſides, in a matter of fact not at all to their Advantage. However for my part, p. 252what ever can be proved againſt them, I ſhall willingly admit. But to be driven out of ſuch a rich poſſeſſion, as is the preſent Hebrew punctation, upon mere ſurmiſes and conjectures, I cannot willingly give way or conſent.

Sect. 19. It is not my deſigne to give in Arguments for the Divine original of the preſent Hebrew punctation; neither doe I Judge it neceſſary for any one ſo to doe, whileſt the learned Buxtorfius diſcourſe de origine & antiquitate punctorum, lyes unanſwered. I ſhall therefore only adde one or two conſiderations, which to me are of weight, and not as I remember mentioned by him, or his Father in his Tiberias, or any other that I know of in their diſputes to this purpoſe.

1 If the points; or vowels and Accents, be coaevous with the reſt of the Letters, or have an originall before all Grammar of that Language (as indeed languages are not made by Grammar, but Grammars are made by Languages) then the Grammar of it and them, muſt be collected from the obſervation of their uſe, as they p. 253were found in all their variety before any ſuch art, was invented or uſed; and Rules muſt be ſuited thereunto; The drawing into Rules all the Inſtances that being uniforme would fall under ſuch Rules, and the diſtinct obſervation of Anomalous words, either ſingly, or in Exceptions comprehending many under one head, that would not be ſo reduced, was the worke of Grammar. But on the other ſide, if the Vowels and Accents were invented by themſelves, and added to the Letters, then the Rule and Art of diſpoſing, tranſpoſing, and changing of them, muſt be conſtituted and fixed before the diſpoſition of them; for they were placed after the Rules made, and according to them. A middle way that I know of, cannot be fixed on. Either they are of the Originall writing of the Language, and have had Rules made by their ſtation therein, or they have been ſupplyed unto it according to Rules of Art. Things are not thus come to paſſe by chance; nor was this world created by a caſuall concurrence of theſe Atomes. Now if the p. 254Grammar or Art was the ground & foundation, not the product of their uſe, as I am confident I ſhall never ſee a tolerable anſwer given to that enquiry of Buxtorfius the elder in his Tiberias, why the Inventors of them left ſo many words Anomalous and pointed otherwiſe then according to Rule, or the conſtant courſe of the Language, preciſely reckoning them up when they had ſo done, and how often they are ſo uſed, as " and ⸪ for ˜: and " for τ and the like, when they might, if they had ſo pleaſed, have made them all regular, to their owne great eaſe, advantage of their Language, and facilitating the learning of it to all poſterity, the thing they ſeeme to have aimed at; ſo I cannot be ſatisfied why in that long operous and curious worke of the Maſſorites, wherein they have reckoned up every word in the Scripture, & have obſerved the irregularity of every tittle and letter, that they never once attempt to give us out thoſe Catholique Rules whereby they, or their maſters proceeded in affixing the points; or whence it came to p. 255paſſe, that no learned Jew for 100^ds of yeares after, ſhould be able to acquaint us with that way, but in all their Grammaticall Inſtructions, ſhould merely collect Obſervations, and inculcate them an 100 times over, according as they preſent themſelves to them by particular Inſtances. Aſſuredly had this wonder…ull Art of pointing, which for the moſt part may be reduced to catholique Rules, and might have wholy been ſo, if it were an arbitrary Invention limited to no praeexiſting wiritng, been found out firſt, and eſtabliſhed as the norma and canon of affixing the vowels, ſome footſteps of it would have remained in the Maſſora, or among ſome of the Jewes, who ſpent all their time and dayes in the conſideration of it.

Sect. 20. 2 In the dayes of the Chaldee Paraphraſt when the Propheſies of the Humiliation and death of their Meſsiah were only not underſtood by them, yet we ſee into how many ſeverall wayes and ſenſes they are wreſted by p. 256that Paraphraſt to affix ſome tolerable meaning to them. Take an inſtance on Iſaiah the 53: Jonathan there acknowledges the whole propheſy to be intended of Chriſt, as knowing it to be the common faith of the Church; but not underſtanding the ſtate of humiliation which the Meſſias was to undergoe, he wreſts the words into all formes, to make that which is ſpoken paſsively of Chriſt, or to his ſuffering from others, to ſignify actively, as to his doing and exerciſing judgment upon others. But now more then 500 yeares after, when theſe points are ſuppoſed to be invented, when the Rabbins were awake, and knew full well what uſe was made of thoſe places againſt them, as alſo that the Prophets (eſpecially Eſaiah) are the moſt obſcure part of the whole Scripture, as to the Grammaticall ſenſe of their words in their coherence without points and Accents, and how facile it were, to invert the whole ſenſe of many periods by ſmall alterations, in theſe Rules of reading; yet as they are pointed, they make out incomparably more clearly the Chriſtian p. 257faith, then any ancient Tranſlations of thoſe places whatever. Johannes Iſaac, a converted Jew, lib. 1. ad Lindan. tels us that above 200 Teſtimonies about Chriſt may be brought out of the Originall Hebrew, that appeare not in the vulgar latine, or any other Tranſlation. And Raymundus Martinus; noverint quae ejuſmodi ſunt (that his who blamed him for tranſlating things immediately out of the Hebrew, not following the vulgar latine) in plurimis valde ſacrae ſcripturae locis veritatem multo planius atque perfectius pro fide Chriſtiana haberi in litera hebraica quam in tranſlatione noſtra: Proaem. ad pug. fid. ſec. 14. Let any man conſider thoſe two rackes of the Rabbins, and ſwords of Judaicall unbeliefe, Iſa: 53. and Dan. 9; as they are now pointed and accented, in our Bibles, and compare them with the tranſlation of the 70: and this will quickly appeare unto him. Eſpecially hath this been evidenced,Fauſtus Socin. de Jeſu Chriſto Servatore Crellius Cont: Gr…t, pag. 62. ſince the Socinians as well as the Jews, have driven the diſpute about the ſatisfaction of Chriſt p. 258to the utmoſt Scrutiny, and Examination of every word in that 53^d of Iſaiah. But yet as the text ſtands now pointed, & accented, neither Jewes nor Socinians (notwithſtanding the reliefe contributed to them by Grotius, wreſting that whole bleſſed Propheſy to make Application of it unto Jeremiah, thinking therein to outdoe the late or moderne Jews, Abarbinel, and others applying it to Joſiah, the whole people of the Jewes, Meſsiah Ben Joſeph and I know not whom) have been able, or ever ſhall be able to relieve themſelves, from the ſword of the truth therein. Were ſuch Exercitations on the Word of God allowable, I could eaſily manifeſt, how by changing the diſtinctive accents, and vowels, much darkneſſe and perpelxity might be caſt on the contexture of that glorious Propheſy. It is knowne alſo, that the Jewes commonly plead, that one Reaſon why they keep the Copy of the Law in their Synagogues without points is, that the Text may not be reſtrained to one certaine ſenſe; but that they may have liberty to draw out various, p. 259and as they ſpeake more eminent ſenſes.