A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

You proceed and add as my words, where the Psalmist complains of Gods enemies breaking down his Sculptures, he means not thereby any Images or figures, but only wainscot or carved Ceilings. Would you could find in your heart rightly to report my words. The reason is evident why you do not, namely because then you had not been able to make any pretence of a reply unto them; But yet this ought not to have prevailed with you to persist in such unhandsome dealing. My words are, The Psalmist indeed complains that they broke down the [Greek or Hebrew] or carved works in the Walls and Ceilings of the Temple (though the Greeks render [Greek or Hebrew] her doors, the Verb signifying principally to open) but that those apertiones or incisurae were not Pictures and Images for the people to adore and venerate, or appointed for their instruction you may learn. You see Sir, I grant that the Word may denote carved works: and if so, I think they must be either in the walls or ceiling; that which only I deny was, that these [Greek or Hebrew] or carved works were proposed to the people to be adored or venerated. This you should have confuted, or held your peace. But you take another course; having misreported my words to gain some countenance thereby unto what you had to except against them, you add, Surely the Prophet wanted a word then to express himself, or Translators to express the Prophet: If we must guess at his meaning without heeding •is words, one might think it as probable that ⟨p. 504⟩the House of God was adorned with Sculptures of Cherubims and other Angels to represent his true house that is above, as with the Circles, &c. of wainscot. Sir, the Prophet wanted not a word rightly to express his meaning and intention; [Greek or Hebrew] is originally aperire, to open, and solver to loose, and because engravings are made by opening the matter engraved with incisions, it signifies also to engrave, as 2 Chron. 3. 7. [Greek or Hebrew] he graved Cherubims, and thence is [Greek or Hebrew] Zech. 3. 9. engraving, or work engraving, the word here used by the Psalmist expressing the effect of what is affirmed, 2 Chron. 3. 7. and elsewhere. And this is well enough expressed by sundry Translators;