A90280:322
Of the divine original, authority, self-evidencing light, and power of the Scriptures. With an…Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an…
Of the divine original, authority, self-evidencing light, and power of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoined some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internal Light, revelation, &c. / By John Owen: D.D.Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoyned some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internall Light, revelation, &c. / By Iohn Owen: D.D.
Oxford: printed by Henry Hall for Tho, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Sect. 3. The most weighty proof in this case is taken from the ancient Judaical coins, taken up with Samaritan Characters upon them. We are now in the high ⟨p. 264⟩road of forgeries and fables: in nothing hath the world been more cheated. But be it granted that the pretended coins are truly Ancient; must it needs follow, that because the Letters were then known, and in use, that they only were so: that the Bible was written with them, and those now in use unknown. To salve the credit of the coins, I shall crave leave to answer this conjecture with another. The Samaritan Letters are plainly preternatural (If I may so say) a studied invention; in their frame and figure fit to adorn, when extended or greatened by way of engraving or embossing any thing they shall be put upon, or cut in. Why may we not think they were invented for that purpose: namely to engrave on vessels, & to stamp on coin, & so came to be of some use in writing also. Their shape and frame promises some such thing. And this is rendered the more probable from the practise of the Egyptians, 1who as Clement Alexan: tells us, had 3 sorts of letters, one which he calls [Greek or Hebrew], ⟨p. 265⟩with which they wrote things of common use; another termed by him [Greek or Hebrew], used by the Priests in the sacred writings: and the other [Greek or Hebrew]: which also was of two sorts, simple and symbolical. Seeing then it was no unusual thing to have sundry sorts of letters for sundry purposes, it is not improbable that it was so also among the Jews: Not that they wrote the sacred writings in a peculiar character, as it were to hide them, which is declaimed against, but only that the other Character might be in use for some purposes which is not unusual: I cannot think the Greeks of old used only the uncial letters, which yet we know some did; though he did not, who wrote Homers Iliads in no greater a volume, then would go into a nutshell.
Sect. 3. The most weighty proofe in this case is taken from the ancient Judaicall coines, taken up with Samaritan Characters upon them. We are now in the high ⟨p. 264⟩road of forgeries and fables: in nothing hath the world been more cheated. But be it granted that the pretended coines are truly Ancient; must it needs follow, that because the Letters were then known, and in use, that they only were so: that the Bible was written with them, and those now in use unknown. To salve the credit of the coynes, I shall crave leave to answer this conjecture with another. The Samaritan Letters are plainly praeternaturall (If I may so say) a studied inventiō; in their frame and figure fit to adorne, when extended or greatned by way of engraving or embossing any thing they shall be put upon, or cut in. Why may we not think they were invened for that purpose: namely to engrave on vessels, & to stamp on coyne, & so came to be of some use in vvriting also. Their shape and frame promises some such thing. And this is rendred the more probable from the practise of the Aegyptians,