Reply. We shall not be so over-credulous as to believe you, that these words are not in the ancient Copies: It is enough that we believe that some few ancient Copies have them not; but that the most (even the generality ⟨p. 119⟩except those few) have them. The judgement of our English Translators, and almost all other Translators of Matth. and of the reverend B of Chester, among your selves, putting the Copy that hath it in his Bible, (as that which is most received, and approved by the Church) do show on which side is the chief authority: if the few copies that want it had been thought more authentic and credible, the Church of England and most other Churches would not have preferred the copies that have this doxology. And why will you in this contradict the later judgement of the Church, expressed in the translation allowed and imposed? The Syriac, Ethiopic, and Persian translations also have it: and if the Syriac be as ancient as you your selves even now asserted, then the antiquity of doxology is there evident: and it is not altogether to be neglected, which by Chemnitius and others is conjectured, that Pauls words in Tim. 4. 18. were spoken as in reference to this Doxology. And as Pareus and other Protestants conclude, it is more probable the Latrines neglected, than that the Greeks inserted of their own heads this sentence. The Socinians and Arians have as fair pretence for their exception a ainst 1 John 5, 6, 7. Masculus saith, [non cogitant vero similius esse, ut Graecorum ecclesia magis quàm Latina, quod ab Evangelistis Graece scriptum est, integrum servârit, nihilque de suo adjecerit. Quid de Graeca ecclesia dico? vidi ipse vetustissimum Evangelium secundum Matth. Codicem Chaldaeis & Elementis, & Verbis conscriptum, in quo Coronis ista perinde atque in Graecis legebatur. Nec Chaldaei solum, sed & drabes Christiani paciformiter cum Graecis orant, & Exemplar Hebraeum à docto & celebri D. Sebast. Munstero vulgatum, hanc ipsam Coronidem habet; Cum ergo consentiunt hâc in re Hebraeorum, Chaldaeorum, Arabum, & Graecorum Ecolesiae contra omnes reliquas, tantum tribuitur authoritatis, ut quod s•la diversum legit, ab Evangelitis traditum esse credatur: quod vero reliquae omnes concorditer habent & orant, pro addititio & peregrino habeatur.
Reply. We shall not be so over-credulous as to believe you, that these words are not in the antient Copies: It is enough that we believe that some few antient Copies have them not; but that the most (even the generality ⟨p. 119⟩except those few) have them. The judgement of our English Translators, and almost all other Translators of Matth. and of the reverend B of Chester, among your selves, putting the Copy that hath it in his Bible, (as that which is most receiv'd, and approved by the Church) do shew on which side is the chief authority: if the few copies that want it had been thought more arthentick and credible, the Church of England and most other Churches would not have preferred the copies that have this doxology. And why will you in this contradict the later judgement of the Church, expressed in the translation allowed and imposed? The Syriack, Ethiopick, and Persian translations also have it: and if the Syriack be as antient as you your selves even now asserted, then the antiquity of doxology is there evident: and it is not altogether to be neglected, which by Chemnitius and others is conjectured, that Pauls words in Tim. 4. 18. were spoken as in reference to this Doxology. And as Pareus and other Protestants conclude, it is more probable the Latrines neglected, than that the Greeks inserted of their own heads this sentence. The Socinians and Arrians have as fair pretence for their exception a ainst 1 John 5, 6, 7. Masculus saith, [non cogitant vero similius esse, ut Graecorum ecclesia magis quàm Latina, quod ab Evangelistis Graece scriptum est, integrum servârit, nihilque de suo adjecerit. Quid de Graeca ecclesia dico? vidi ipse vetustissimum Evangelium secundum Matth. Codicem Chaldaeis & Elementis, & Verbis conscriptum, in quo Coronis ista perinde atque in Graecis legebatur. Nec Chaldaei solum, sed & drabes Christiani paciformiter cum Graecis orant, & Exemplar Hebraeum à docto & celebri D. Sebast. Munstero vulgatum, hanc ipsam Coronidem habet; Cum ergo consentiunt hâc in re Hebraeorum, Chaldaeorum, Arabum, & Graecorum Ecolesiae contra omnes reliquas, tantum tribuitur authoritatis, ut quod s•la diversum legit, ab Evangelitis traditum esse credatur: quod vero reliquae omnes concorditer habent & orant, pro addititio & peregrino habeatur.
