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…

Sect. 4. But if that should be granted, ⟨p. 266⟩that cannot be proved, namely that such a Change was made; yet this prejudices not them in the least, who affirm Ezra and the men of the great Congregation to have been the Authors of the Points, seeing the Authors of this rumour affixed, that as the time wherein the old Hebrew letters were excommunicated out of the Church; together with the Samaritans. Nay it cast a probability on the other hand, namely that Ezra laying aside the old letters because of their difficulty, together with the new, introduced the points to facilitate their use. Nor can it be made to appear that the Samaritan letters had never any vowels affixed to them. Postellus affirms that the Samaritans had points in the days of Hierome, and that their loss of them is the cause of their present corrupt reading. Punctis hodie quae habebant Hieronimi temporibus carent: leguntque sine punctis admodum depravatè. Postell. Alphab. 12. lingua: There were always some copies written without vowels, which might be preserved, and the other lost. That people (if we have any thing from ⟨p. 267⟩them,) being wicked, ignorant, sottish, superstitious, Idolatrous, rejectors of the greatest part of the Scripture, Corruptors of what they had received, might neglect the task of transcribing Copies with Points, because a matter of so great Care and diligence to be performed aright. Nor is it improbable, what ever is pretended to the contrary, that continuing in their separation from the people of God, they might get the Law written in a Character of their own choosing, out of hatred to the Jews. Now let any man judge, whither from this heap of Uncertainties any thing can arise with the face of a Witness, to be admitted to give Testimony in the cause in hand. He that will part with his possession on such easy Terms, never found much benefit in it.

Sect. 4. But if that should be granted, ⟨p. 266⟩that cannot be proved, namely that such a Change was made; yet this prejudices not them in the least, who affirme Ezra and the men of the great Congregation to have been the Authors of the Points, seeing the Authors of this rumour affixed, that as the time wherein the old Hebrew letters were excommunicated out of the Church; together with the Samaritans. Nay it cast a probability on the other hand, namely that Ezra laying aside the old letters because of their difficulty, together with the new, introduced the points to facilitate their use. Nor can it be made to appeare that the Samaritan letters had never any vowels affixed to them. Postellus affirmes that the Samaritans had points in the dayes of Hierome, and that their losse of them is the cause of their present corrupt reading. Punctis hodie quae habebant Hieronimi temporibus carent: leguntque sine punctis admodum depravatè. Postell. Alphab. 12. lingua: There were alwaies some copies written without vowels, which might be preserved, and the other lost. That people (if we have any thing from