Masora, Title page – Table of contents
Maſora. A COLLECTION Out of the Learned Maſter JOANNES BUXTORFIUS's Commentarius Maſorethicus.
By CLEMENT BARKSDALE.
Neque Omnia, neque Nihil.
Iota unum non peribit.
LONDON, Printed for Matthias Thurſton, and are to be ſold at his Shop next the St. Johns-head Tavern within Ludgate. 1665.
PETRƲS CƲNAEƲS, Of the Hebrew COMMONWEALTH, Lib. 1. Cap. ult.
WHat time the Chriſtians underſtood ſcarce Three words of Hebrew, how eaſie had it been for the Jews to corrupt thoſe places which ſeemed to refute their Follies; but Piety would not permit them; Religion forbad them to move or alter any thing in the Sacred Text: And truly when I look upon the unwearied diligence of the MASORITES, I am almost amazed: For all the parts of the Hebrew Bible, being accurately reviſed and compared, they ſigned with Impreſſed Notes. They obſerved not only how many Verſes and Words, but alſo how many Letters every Book contained. Wherefore, that afterward, when Barbariſm oreſpread the World, not one point of that Divine writing periſhed, we owe (next under God) to them.
The INDEX.
MASORA, whence ſo called.
2. What are Traditions.
3. Definition of Maſora▪
4. The deligence of the Heb. Gods providence.
5. Who the Authors of Maſora: two opinions.
6. Aben Ezra, and Elias Levita.I.
7. The School of Tiberias: the Hieruſalem Talmud. Rabbi Jehuda.
8. The Babylon-Schools: their Talmud.
9. Hillel Hannaſi, his new compute. Joſ. Scaliger.
10. Tiberias decayed.
11. St. Jerom, his Hebrew Doctor.
12 The Maſorites of Tiberias not Authors.
13. The Authority of the Babylon-Talmud.
14. The Oral Kabala.
15. Maſora more antient then the Talmud.
16. 17. The points before the Maſoretic Notes.
18. Dages and Mappik.
19. The Accents noted.
20. Maſorites office.
21. Maſorites the Antients.
22. Vowels from one Prick.
23. Punctation before Talmud.
24. Chaldee names of Points.
25. Need of Points.
26. Vowel Points not from the Tiberians; why.
27. The Septuagint.
28. The Great Synagogue.II
29. Ezra, Nehemiah, &c. High Prieſt, and Alex. M.
30. Scribes. Ezra praiſed.
31. Ezra, Haggai, Malachi, Zorobabel, &c.
32. Nehem. 8. 8. expounded. Tertul. and Chryſoſt.
33. Beginning of Maſora. Diviſion of the Bible, Lu. 24. 44.
34. Subdiviſion into 22.
35. Diſtinction of Verſes: Fiction of the Kabaliſts: Septuagint.
36. Critical Learning: The firſt Maſorites.
37. Reading of the words: Vowels and Accents: Letters numbred.
38. Teſtimonies for the men of the Great Synagogue.
39. Elias Levita: Succeſſion of Maſorites. Ezra the firſt Author.
40. The Matter of the Maſora. The number of the Verſes in Geneſis, &c.
41. Notes upon the Verſes: Venice Edition of the Bible.
42. Notes upon the Words.
43. The writing and reading.
44. VVords written fully or defectively.
45. The place of VVords.
46. Structure of Verbs.
47. Ambiguous ſignification noted.
48. Vowels and Accents obſerved.
49. The Letters noted in their Figure and Number.
50. Great Letters obſerved.
51. Little Letters obſerved.
52. The Letter Nun inverted.
53. Pricked words.
54. The Letters numbred: The middle Letter of the Law.
55. Raf. Saadia Gaon.
56. The Form of the Maſora: The Edition of Daniel Bomberg, and R. Jac. Ben Chajim.
57. The Great and Little Maſora: Textual and Final.
58. The end of the Maſora: The hedge of the Law: Teſtimonies of Jews.
59. Testimonies of Chriſtians.
60. Concluſion.
MASORA.
I.
ה foreign, Maſora, Maſoreth are Verbal Nouns derived from the Root foreign, to deliver, and are here taken for a Doctrine or Knowledge, which one delivers and communicates to another, as it were from hand to hand: The correlative Verb is foreign, to receive, i. to perceive, know, and underſtand; for what is delivered by word of mouth, is received with the Ear, and ſo tranſmitted to the Mind: So the Hebrews have a ſaying; Moſes received the Law from Sinai, and delivered it to Joſhua, Joſhua to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, the Prophets delivered it to the men of the great Synagogue. Cap. 1.
II.
In the New Teſtament foreign tradition or delivery, is uſually taken for a Doctrine or Inſtitution about certain Rites and Ceremonies; ſo the Jews had many Traditions invented and preſcribed by the Scribes and Doctors for the advancement of Piety, that is, to keep them by the obſerving of theſe in the better obſervation of Gods Commands; whence in Syriac Tradition is called Perfection, becauſe they imagined that the Law of God, comprehended in writing ſomwhat imperfectly, was perfected and compleated by ſuch Inſtitutions; but Chriſt hath diſapproved them, ſaying, Ye have made void the Law of God by your Tradition, Mat. 15. 6. Cap. 1.
III.
Maſora, as we take it here by a Synecdoche, ſignifies the Critical Doctrine about the Holy Hebrew Text, and may be thus defined: A Critical Doctrine concerning the Hebrew Text of Holy Scripture, ingeniouſly invented by the antient wiſe men of the Hebrews, wherby the Verſes, Words, and Letters thereof were numbred, and all the variety of them marked and ſhewed in their ſeveral places with the particular Verſes recited, that ſo the conſtant and genuine reading of the Text might be preſerved, and for ever ſecured from all chang and corruption: Hence is that ſaying of the Rabbins, The Maſora is the Hedge or Fence of the Law. Cap. 2.
IV.
In this Study, admirable was the diligence of the antient Hebrews, their Zeal in conſerving the Text of Gods Word moſt ardent, inimitable, and without example in any other Nation of the whole World was their Labor. No leſs to be admired is the providence of God, ſhining forth toward the Gentiles, who were to be called to the knowledge of him by the Scripture: For here, through Eaſt and Weſt, the Word of God is of one reading, the Books do all conſent with perfect Harmony, a Happineſs granted to no other Nation, no other Books in the World: That moſt antient Writer of the Chriſtian Church Juſtin Martyr, juſtly aſcribs it to the ſingular care and providence of God, that the Jews ſo ſtudiouſly in their Synagogues kept ſafe and ſound the holy Writings for our uſe and benefit, Serm. ad Gentes: And St. Auſtin ſtiles the Jews, our Servitors to carry our books for us, in Pſal. 41. Cap. 2.
V.
The Authors of Maſora are named by the Hebrews foreign, in our Schools the Maſoreths, from their handling the Maſora, or Critical Doctrine: Who they were indeed, where or when they lived, is not eaſily to be determined. Two opinions there are eſpecially among the Rabbins; the one, that the Authors were the wiſe men of the City Tiberias; the other, that the Maſora was written by the men of the Great Synagogue, or the great Council called by the Prophet Ezra, Cap. 3.
VI.
They of the firſt opinion do not only attribute the Maſora to the wiſe men of Tiberias, but will have them to be the firſt Inventors of the Points, Vowels, and Accents. Among theſe, the firſt is R. Aben Ezra (he flouriſhed in the year of Chriſt 1150,) who in his Grammer plainly ſaith, Thus was the Cuſtom of the wiſe men of Tiberias, for of them were the Authors of the Maſora; and from them have we received all the pointing; and often doth he mention thoſe wiſe men in the ſame Book, and commends them ſeveral times for their skil in reading and genuine pronuntiation; his ſecond in this opinion is Elias Levita, a Jew of Germany, and a Famous Grammarian in the Laſt age, and one that in the explication of the whole Maſora, and particularly in the curious handling of this part, got the praiſe from all the Rabbins of his people. In ſundry Prefaces to his Maſoreth Hammaſoreth, his opinion touching the original of Maſora, and the Vowel points, is this in ſhort: 1. That there were innumerable Authors of the Maſora in divers ages. 2. That the time of the beginning of them and the end is uncertain. 3. That the Hebrews of Tiberias firſt wrote the Maſora, and invented the points of Vowels and of Accents, after the Talmud was finiſhed, i. long after, 500. years ſince our Saviour Chriſt. Cap. 3.
VII.
The City of Tiberias, which produced the Maſoreth, of all the Jews moſt expert in the Hebrew Tongue, was in the Land of Galilee, ſeated near the Lake of Henne-Caroth, of whoſe Riſe and Scituation, Joſephus that noble and moſt antient Writer of the Jewiſh Affairs informs us, Antiq. lib. 18. c. 3. And when after the deſolation of Jeruſalem by the Roman Army, ſome Reliques of the Learned Jews eſcaped into Babylon, and ſome remained in Paleſtin; theſe by a little and little in the more commodious places and cities, reſtored their Schools and Aſſemblies, and this Tiberias was one of thoſe Cities celebrated in the writing of the Hebrews, and adorned with ſome Names of wiſe and learned men, and enjoyed that honor till the year of Chriſt 230. after which time the Chronicles of the Hebrews relate nothing very memorable concerning Schools, and the Studies of good learning in Judea; for here Rabbi Jehuda, aftet the publiſhing of the Jeruſalem Talmud, died in the ſame or the following year, and after his death, the Studens in Judea were diſperſed, and the Schools tranſlated into Babylon. Cap. 4. & 5.
VIII.
Thus the Schools of Judea as it were expiring with R. Jehuda the Saint, their Light and Life, and the principal Schollars being removed about the year 230. out of Palestin into Babylon, there did they renew their Studies with great Fervor; chiefly did the Profeſſion of the Jewiſh Law flouriſh, comprehended in the Book Miſchna, their Corpus Juris as it were: This was the Subject of thei Lectures and Diſputations, ſo that afterward, in the year after the deſtruction of the City 436. as Elias puts it, that is of Chriſt 506, came forth the Babylonian Talmund diſtinct into ſix principal parts, and Sixty three Books, by which even until this day, the whole Nation of the Jews are governed. In the year of Chriſt 1037, then the Babylonian Schools were altogether extinguiſhed, the wiſe Maſters vaniſhed thence, and fixed themſelves in another Sphear, in Spain and other parts of Europe, as R. Abraham and other Writers teſtifie. Cap. 6.
IX.
It ſeems yet that all Learning did not die in Paleſtin with Rabbi Jehuda the Saint; for though the Chronicles give us nothing memorable after him, yet the Hebrew Hiſtory makes mention of ſome Doctors of Schools in the Land of Iſrael, as may be ſeen in Juchaſin, fol. 106. In the year of Chriſt 340. Hillel Hannaſi was famous among the Jews, both a Philoſopher and excellent Aſtronomer. ſo that he made a new Compute: and Joſ Scaliger in his Book of De Emendatione Temp. p. 544. ſaith, The new Compute was the worke of the Masters of Tyberias. We read of none but this Hillel that reformed the Kalender: therefore by the Maſters of Tyberias we muſt underſtand Hillel: the rather, becauſe all the Jews unto this day do follow his Computation, and will follow it till the time of their Deliverer whom they expect, as we ſee in Inchaſin fol. 90. According to Scaliger then, this Hillel lived in Tyberias, and to that time Tyberias was not decayed. Cap. 7.
X.
That ſomething of the Schools in Paleſtin remained till this time, appeareth by Schalſchelet fol. 34. He (R. Jehuda Neſia) was the father of Rabbi Hillel the Prince, who was promoted into a Maſter in the Land of Iſrael, and the laſt of the promoted, as may be ſeen in the Talmudical Book De Idololatria. And in Tzemach David, where is mention of this Hillel fol. 47. The promoted in the Jews of Iſrael ceaſed in him. Now if Scholaſtical promotion here ceaſed, it is very probable that profeſſions and publick exerciſes ceaſed alſo; being thoſe Dignities are the rewards of an excellent learning, ordained for the conſervation and propagation of ſtudies; which is made more probable, in that the Chronicles of the Hebrews relate nothing at all, after this Hillel, touching the Schools or Wiſe men of Paleſtin, but purſue the Schools of Babylon to the laſt. Cap. 7.
XI.
Yet St. Hierom, a very antient Writer of the Chriſtian Church, carries us a little farther. For he, when he tranſlated the Hebrew Bible into Latin, procured a Learned Jew from Tyberias, whoſe help he uſed in the interpretation of the Book of Chronicles; a certain Doctor of the Law, admir'd among the Hebrews, by whoſe aſſiſtance he was encouraged to go through with his tranſlation, as himſelf tell us in the preface to that Book. Now St. Hierom, as our Chronologers ſay, ended his life at Bethelem in the year of Chriſt 420, or 422. I ſuppoſe he might be upon his interpretation about the year 400. being he ſpent ſome years about it, and liv'd ſome years after it was finiſhed, to hear the cenſures of men for it or againſt it, and to make his defence at ſundry times. Cap. 7.
XII.
Thus we have ſearched into the ſtudies of theſe Tyberians, and followed them to the year 400. drawn on by ſome hope of finding the moſt wiſe College of Maſoreths at Tyberias. We have found indeed, that learning, after the waſte of Jeruſalem, was a long time conſerved in Paleſtin, and eſpecially in the City of Tyberias; but, being the Hebrew Hiſtory purſues the courſe of ſtudies and the ſeveral generations of wiſe men to a thouſand years in Babylon, and leaves off in Palestin or the Land of Iſrael about the year 340, ending with Hillel the Prince; it is no way credible, that after 500, or about 600. years from Chriſt, or more, ſo many mighty Scholars were extant at Tyberias, who above all the Jews were moſt exerciſed in the Reading of holy Scriptures, and were the authors of an invention, ſo new, ſo admired, of ſuch concernment to the moſt ſober and moſt weighty handling of the ſacred Letters, and delivered the ſame, without any witneſſe, without any hiſtory, without any memory of Books; delivered it, I ſay, as a divine Oracle to be accepted by all the Nation of the Jews, yea by the whole world, whereſoever the Word of God was communicated or to be communicated. Cap. 7.
XIII.
Moreover, being the Elaboration, Conſcription, authors, and whatſoever pertains to the hiſtory of theſe books of both the Jeruſalem and Babylon-Talmud, was obſerved and noted with great care by the Hebrews, how was it poſſible they ſhould conceal that which concerned the genuine, authentick and everlaſting reading of the ſacred Scripture. Again being the moſt vaunting and ſelf conceited Jews of Babylon, dwelling in a moſt flouriſhing Empire, by the authority and celebrity of their Doctrin, quickly obſcured & at length wholly extinguiſhed, the Jewiſh Maſters and their Schools left among the ruines and rubbiſh of poor Paleſtin, how can we imagine, that after ſo many ages, in ſuch vigour and pride of their ſtudies at Babylon, they would have given up the eternal praiſe and glory of this Critical ſtudy about holy Scripture, and permitted theſe Tyberians alone to enjoy it? Further, being the Babyloan Jews overcame, darkned and brought almoſt to nothing the Jeruſalem-Talmud by their Babylonian-Talmud, and obtained ſo duplicate page duplicate page much authority to theirs, that thereby the whole Jewiſh Nation under heaven muſt be for ever ruled, as it is this very day, how could it be that they have not alſo procured to themſelves the authority, credit and renown of this Maſoretical Learning! Cap. 7.
XIV.
Further yet, if the Tyberian Jews after the Babylon Talmud ſtudies flouriſhing a thouſand years at Babylon, were the authors of the Maſora and the points of the ſacred Reading, how were they able to do ſuch a work without the knowledge of the Babylonians, with whom all the Jewiſh learning was in its height! how could they affect it, without their conſent and common approbation? Surely, that Reading which was tyed to the external figures of vowels, and confirmed by Maſoretick notes, required the teſtimony and approbation of all the Jewiſh Congregation to ſhew its conformity and agreement with the old Moſaick and prophetical authentick Reading, in all and every one of the letters and vowels, even to the leaſt prick. But of this either communication of Counſel or approbation of the enterpriſe, there is not extant one tittle in all the hiſtory of the Jews. No queſtion, if the firſt writers after the Babylon Talmud had wholly been ſilent, yet the oral Kabala would never ſo have ſuppreſſed it, or withdrawn it from poſterity, but that ſome time or other it would have been diſcovered by ſome body. Laſtly, by the confeſſion of Elias himſelf, the Authors of the Maſora were in divers generations almoſt innumerable, their beginning and end uncertain; how then can the Tyberians alone be ſaid to be the Authors? how is the beginning thereof aſcribed to the time after the Babylon-Talmud? Cap. 7.
XV.
Aben Eſra (as above) ſaid, that the Maſora and punctation proceeded from the Wiſe men of Tyberias: Elias Levita defined the circumſtance of time, and ſaid this came to paſſe, and the Maſora was written by them after the Talmud. But if both the name it ſelf and the things contained in the Maſora, as are the diſtinction of the Text into verſes, the noting of words according to their divers writing and reading, and the obſervation of the ſame words written fully or defectively, the quality of letters, and the dinumeration of all the words, and verſes be mentioned in the Talmud: if alſo the Talmud ſometimes determines or diſputes againſt the Maſora: then it follows, that the uſe and knowledge of the Maſora, in the greateſt part, was before the Talmud, and conſequently the ſentence of Elias cannot hold. And theſe particulars are declared. Cap. 8.
XVI.
Elias ſaith, the Tyberians invented the art of punctation, and wrote the Maſora, whence they were called Maſoreths. But we may argue from the Maſoretick notes themſelves, that the Maſora now extant, and the points, had not the ſame Authors. For example, Gen. 16. 13. it is written foreign, and verſe 15. foreign, where the Gloſſe of the Maſoreths, every foreign is with Kametz (the little, i. tzere) excepting ſix with Saegol. If the Authors of the Punctation and Maſora be the ſame, what reaſon had they to point ſix only of ſo many hundred, againſt the common form? Why are thoſe ſix here alledged in the Maſora ſo pointed, and no other? why have they diſcovered the irregularity themſelves by adding a note? ſurely, they were not the ſame men who made the Punctation and the Maſora; but the Maſoreths who reviſed the Forms of words, and found it ſo in the Copies pointed formerly, did therefore ſpecifie this Form; for they did not give themſelves this right, to change the leaſt prick in the Sacred Text, nor would permit that Licenſe to any, becauſe the Authority of Holy Scripture, ought to be inviolable, whoſe Form being Authentick and Divine, and ſo acknowledged by them, no boldneſs of man could alter without extream Impiety. They put a Note therefore to theſe ſix, that even in the leaſt the Text of Scripture might evermore remain Inviolate, the only Scope of the whole Maſora. Cap. 9.
XVII.
Another example hereof, Gen. 19. 2. It is written foreign; the Maſorites, every foreign of the ſignification of foreign is with Kametz (the little i. tzere) except this one. Wherefore in ſo many places have they printed this word always alike, this one place excepted? Wherfore have they, if themſelves were Authors of this Punctation, ſhewed their Novelty by their Gloſs? Why the Maſoreths ſeeing this word in their Copies printed ſo in this place formerly by others, added their note that none might alter it, which every one might moſt eaſily have done according to Grammer. Many more examples are ſet down. Cap. 9.
XVIII.
As of the Vowel-points, ſo alſo the inconſtant uſe of the Points, Dages, and Mappik, is obſerved and noted by the Maſoreths, whence it may very probably be concluded that the Maſoreths, or the Authors of the written Maſora, were not withall the Inventors of theſe two points, and then wrote a Maſora of them, but judged of their Inconſtancy in the Books formerly pointed, and added their Maſoretical Notes, that they founded it thus and thus in their Books; nor was it lawfull for any man to amend the leaſt point in Holy Writ, leaſt in time it ſhould by Degrees degenerate from a Divine to a Humane ſenſe. For the boldneſs of man, hardly contains its ſelf within any bounds. The Rule is, that the four Guttural Letters admit not Dages — yet the Maſoreths noted the Letter foreign to be dageſſed four times, for ſo they found it in their Books; Mappik hath a neceſſary uſe, yet the Maſoreths have obſerved and noted the omiſſion of it in foreign thrice, once in the Law, once in the Prophets, once in the Hagiographa, for the ſame reaſon. Cap. 9.
XIX.
Alſo from the divers uſe of the Accents and the Notes upon them, it appears that the Inventors of the Accents, and the Authors of the Maſora, were not the ſame perſons; but the Maſoreths, as they ſaw the uſe of the Accents in the Books afore pointed, ſo wrote the Maſora of them, Gen. 30. 19. upon foreign the Sixth Son, the Maſoreths note, every Ben before Makkaph, hath Pathach (the little i. Saegol) except four; the other three are extant, 1 Sam. 22. 20. 2 Sam. 9. 12. Ezek. 18. 20. Again foreign with an Accent hath always Tzere, except ſix, which with an Accent have Saegol, juſt as if they were before Makkaph: The places are cited in the Maſora; Pſal. 27. 4. is written foreign, the Maſora. It is not found elſewhere with Pathach and Athnach. If theſe Maſoreths were alſo the Printers, why did they not point it as elſewhere foreign Pſal. 104. 34. What they found in their Books, that they noted. Cap. 9.
XX.
There are infinite examples of the like kind, and the whole Maſora ſhews that the Maſoreths were not the Authors of the Vowels and Accents, but only noted what was before invented; for otherwiſe why ſhould they bring in ſo many Anomalies to perplex the Reader, when they might eaſily have kept the Analogy of the Tongue? but their office only was, to note the Form of the ſacred Text in the Verſes, Words, and Letters, exactly, as they had it in their Copies, and judged it to be Authentick, to the end it might remain to all Poſterity uncorrupted and unchanged; or if any diverſity ſhould happen by miſtake or negligence of Tranſcribers, it might by thoſe Notes be corrected and reſtored. Cap. 9. p. 72.
XXI.
Neither is it probable that the Inventors of the Points, and the Authors of the Maſora, lived at the ſame time; for then might they have enquired of them the reaſon of the more notable Anonymies and Diverſities, and ſet it down in writing, that ſo Poſterity might not have been perplexed with the common Accidents of Grammer, in a Language otherwiſe plain. But ſeeing we have great evidence that the principal parts of the Maſora, and conſequently the firſt Maſoreths were before the Jewiſh Talmud, and that a long time (for they are by the Talmudiſts called foreign the Antients, we may conclude that this part alſo of the Maſora touching the words arrayed with Vowel-points, and Accents, was compoſed by thoſe Antiens and their Succeſſors before the Talmud, and not by the Tyberians many ages after, when there was neither the ſame vigor of Studies, nor the ſame Felicity of wits, nor ſo great convenience and frequency of Schools, all things being diſturbed by Wars and cruel Perſecutions. Cap. 9. p. 73.
XXII.
The Vowel points ſeem to be deduced from one ſingle prick. A prick below the Letter is Chireck; in the midſt Schurck; above, Cholem; being doubled below the Letter, and placed ſidewiſe, it is Tzere, and by confluence Pathach; being placed perpendicularly, one above the other, Sheva; being tripled in the Form of a Triangle, Saegol, and by confluence Kamets, &c. Cap. 9.
XXIII.
In the Talmudical Book Nedarim, fol. 37. the Doctors diſpute whether it be lawful to teach the Law for a Reward? Some affirm, others deny, others diſtinguiſh. Some ſaid foreign a Reward of obſervation, and inſpection of Children, that they may keep home, repeat their Leſſons, not run about, not be wanton, is lawfully received: Another, R. Jochanan ſaid, It is alſo lawfull to take reward for teaching the pauſes of the Accents. The Gloſs of R. Solomon, for teaching the punctation and the Accents: But how could they teach theſe, if indeed no Punctation was then extant? Cap. 9.
XXIV.
That the Points came from Mount Sinai, and were given to the people by Moſes, not a few of the Rabbins, and thoſe of no vulgar Authority, have determined; that the names of the points which are now uſed, and are partly mentioned in the Maſora, were alſo given by Moſes from the Mount, they do not affirm; but moſt of the Rabbins ſay, theſe names had their beginning from the Men of the great Synagogue, who had good Skill in both Tongues, the Chaldee and the Hebrew. And the Jews of the ſecond Temple ſpake foreign the Chaldee Language or the Syriac; very many words alſo and names came new with them out of Babylon. Its no wonder then, that the men of the great Synagogue made uſe of the Chaldee in the tradition or delivery of the Points and the Maſora. Wherhfore what Elias objecteth from the Syriac and Babybolonic names of Zere, Segol, &c. is of no force againſt us. Cap. 9.
XXV.
And as to what Elias ſaith, that they had no need of Points, who were ſo exerciſed and Skilled in the Hebrew Tongue, that they could read without them; it may be true of the Men of the great Synagogue, amongſt whom ſome Prophets were intermixed; but of the Jews Univerſally, and of their poſterity when Prophecy ceaſed, and the Heavenly Doctrin by God's juſt judgment was decay'd, this can no wiſe be granted, as all times do teſtifie, and is confirmed by experience at this day. And whereas he ſaith, that by the Tradition and Protection of the Prophets, they accurately kept in remembrance and could tell, where a pauſe was to be made, or the ſpeech continued, it may be granted of the Prophets immediately by God inſtructed; but that the following people even to the Talmudists could do the ſame, after ſo many calamities and perſecutions, is altogether impoſſible. What humane wit, what memory was able to retain ſo exactly the diſtinct pauſes of many thouſand Verſes, the diſtinct pronuntiation of ſo many thouſand Words, ſo that no error ſhould be committed in any Member, in any Voice or Vowell, untill Elias's Tiberian Maſoreths? who can believe, that thoſe Tiberians, Men never famous, never mentioned with honour, had a fuller meaſure and greater efficacy of the divine Spirit then the Men whoſe Counſells and deſignes were happily conducted by the direction of the Prophets, Zachary, Maelachy, and Eſra? Cap. 9.
XXVI.
Plainly, if the Vowell-points and diſtinguiſhing Accents were added to the Holy Scripture by thoſe Tiberians, or ſuch like Men of the Common ſort, then that ſenſe which the Reading of the Vowell-Points and the diſtinguiſhing exhibites, muſt neceſſarily be of humane authority, and conſequently uncertain, not Divine and Propheticall, and ſo Authentick; then thoſe Points, in places doubtfull, ambiguous and difficult, may be changed by any other Learned Man, and others ſubſtituted for them: There will be contention who ſhall be the more Learned, and more Skilfull in Correction: Then, everywhere will be great doubt, the ſame Word by reaſon of but one Point changed paſſing into another ſenſe: Then, the Text conſiſting of naked Letters will be like Wax, mutable into divers forms: Then, in ſuch debates will be no ſupream Judge, and ſo no Canon of the Sacred Scripture of the Old Teſtament, which may be the meaſure and the end of controverted interpretation. Cap. 9.
XXVII.
Nor is it enough to ſay, the Text in the Letters is incorrupt and unchanged, and that may be judge. For the Vowels, are the ſoul giving life to the diſtinct Words, and the Word written with bare Conſonants, cannot be read nor underſtood without Vowels; and eſpecially in dark and difficult places, one will adde theſe Vowels, another thoſe, as every own ſhall attempt to draw forth the meaning. Here is need of another Judge, the Word written with naked Letters cannot ſpeak for it ſelf: The Greek verſion of the lxx. differs from the Hebrew Text, not only in the reading of Vowels but Letters alſo, ſo that it cannot be Judge. Where will you ſeek another? Shall the Servant give ſentence upon the Lord, the waiting Maid upon her Royal Lady? or ſhall the living and moſt clear fountain be tryed by the Taſt and Colour of the troubled and muddy ſtream? Cap. 9.
XXVIII.
The other Opinion of the Hebrews touching the Authors of the Maſora is, that the Maſora was written by the Men of the great Synagogue, whom they ſtile in their Books, foreign. This is the great Council gathered by Ezra the Prieſt, the Preſident thereof, after the Babylonian Captivity: by whoſe help and aſſiſtance he reſtored the Church of Jeruſalem and of all the Jews, purging and reforming it from many corruptions, errors and vices, contracted in Babylon. For this Office, when he departed from Babylon to Jeruſalem, by the Grace of God, and the Authority of King Artaxerxes was committed to him, as appears by the Kings Letters Eſr. 7. Not long after him the King ſent away Nehemias alſo, as a moſt faithfull Colleague and zealous aſſiſtant; who being armed with the Royal Commiſſion and publick authority, promoted the reformation of the City and the Church with great fervour of affection, as the Book of Nehemiah ſhewes. Cap. 10.