A15061:342
An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written
An answer to a certain book, written by Master William Rainolds student of divinity in the English college at Rhemes, and entitled, A refutation of sundry reprehensions, cavils, etc. by William Whitaker ...An answere to a certeine booke, written by Maister William Rainolds student of diuinitie in the English colledge at Rhemes, and entituled, A refutation of sundrie reprehensions, cauils, etc. by William Whitaker ...
Printed at London : For Thomas Chard, 1585
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
An other experiment is, that the Hebrew prints want something now, which certainly ⟨p. 269⟩was in the first originals. Example hereof you bring the psalm. 144. Which being made according to the Hebrew Alphabet, as diverse other are, one verse is wanting wholly therein, the 14. in number, which should begin with Nun. What cause there was of omitting this Acrostic I will not take upon me to understand. It is not of later times corrupted, seeing the Chaldee hath not that verse. And as it is now in the Hebrew, so was it in Saint Jeromes time, and before, when the Hebrew Bibles were accounted most pure: and yet then in the Latin psalter a verse was supplied. So that howsoever the matter stand, this proveth not the translation to be of greater purity and credit, then the fountain. Cause there was doubtless, why the Prophet left out the order of the letter, but whether such as the Rabbins and Talmud•sts have devised, I cannot affirm. The like example have you in the. 36. Psalm of your edition, which being made after the same manner of the Hebrew Alphabet, you have not in it the letter Am. Reasons thereof are alleged both by Jews, and learned Papists; but the place for all that they think ⟨p. 270⟩not to be corrupted, as you peradventure will rashly pronounce. As for that in the Greek and Latin of this Psalm there is a verse answerable, the first word whereof in Hebrew beginneth with Nun, 1Fidelis, Dominus, &c. this proveth not the fountain to be corrupt or unperfect: but the Septuagints finding no verse for the letter Nun, and thinking perhaps there was some want, repeated the. 17. verse following, the first only being changed. For this verse supplied by them, and the other following, is all one, excepting only the first word. It seemeth not that the Prophet was altogether so curious to keep the order of letters, that if any be wanting in a Psalm of that kind, we ought therefore to suspect corruption in the Hebrew. In the Psalm. 25. no verse beginneth with Vau: and two begin with Resh: and two with Pe. Wherefore you see how little proof of corruption this reason maketh, whatsoever you in your ignorance esteem of it.